Pokémon Platinum Parody
by LazerTH
Summary: This is my parody of the 4th generation videogame, Pokémon Platinum Version. Join the adventures from Twinleaf to the League and beyond!
1. Chapter 1: Twinleaf Town

Pokémon Platinum Parody

By LazerTH

For Hannah

Author's note:

Hannah has done it again. She's inveigled me into writing a parody that I know I will love but will take forever to write and hurt my poor, abused hands that are already injured from playing videogames all day long.

I have loved Pokémon ever since the first anime episode aired in my country. I played every Pokémon Nintendo portable game I could get my hands on. Out of great love for this franchise, I now write a parody, for the sheer pleasure of ribbing my childhood.

Thank you, Hannah, for reading and rereading the parody as it grew, acting as my critic and editor every step of the way. You are as much a part of this parody as I am.

888

Manny, a wee brown lad of ten years had spent the last three hours mucking about in _Metal Gear Solid 3 _on his _Playstation 2_. While his mother _could_ afford a third generation console, he couldn't be bothered, as all the _good_ games were on the PS2.

"Manny! Hey, Manny!"

"Oh now what the -"

_THUD!_

Manny's rival, Mint, who was an excitable blonde lad and also ten years in this world, crashed into Manny after running up the stairwell like an Aipom with its tail on fire.

"Manny! We're finally going to walk in the tall grass today!"

"Has the _Ritalin_ coursing through your system finally driven you mad?"

"I know it's crazy, but it will be SO AWESOME if we walk through the tall grass and tell all the other kids!"

"Other kids? We're the only kids in this entire town. It's full of adults. It's really creepy, like everyone's sterile except for our Moms."

"Come on Manny! If you're late I'll fine you TEN _MILLION_ DOLLARS!" Mint threatened, performing the Dr. Evil laugh - complete with extended pinkie finger - as he jumped downstairs.

Grumbling, Manny switched off his beloved _PS2_ and followed.

"Manny," his mother called from the kitchen of their humble two-storey house, "Mint was looking for you. He said to meet him by the village gate."

Manny ran downstairs. Sleeping at his mother's feet was a Persian. She was the first Pokémon his mother had ever owned, caught fifteen years ago as a tiny Meowth. Now she was a regal cat, the size of Manny himself, though, like him, a bit scruffy. She acknowledged Manny's presence with a huge yawn of yellowing teeth, her frazzled whiskers twitching.

"Mom, where's Dad?"

His Mom was grilling eggs and bacon. She had fair skin, unlike her son, and was yet young, her blue hair tied into a ponytail to keep it away from the skillet. "You don't have a father, Manny, I had a virgin birth. You are the Chosen One destined to save the world."

"Mom…"

"I'm sorry Manny, your father is a good-for-nothing Pokémon Trainer who knocked me up and left me in this hick town because he had 'commitment issues'. I swear he loved his Pokémon more than he loved me."

"Okay. Bye Mom!"

"Bye son," his mother replied before returning to breakfast preparations. Delicious breakfast! None of which Manny would have, for reasons to be seen.

Twinleaf Town of the Sinnoh region was indeed a hick town. Surrounded by tall grass and hills in the middle of nowhere, its only claim to fame was Lake Verity, just northwest of the village. It was said that a legendary Pokémon lived there, but no evidence was brought forward to prove it.

His shoes crunching over the melting snow, Manny met Mint outside the gates. It was the first days of Spring. Then again, it had _always _been the first days of Spring, for as long as Manny remembered. They had to visit other towns to experience different weather and seasons.

"Manny! You're late! I should fine you THIRTY _MILLION _DOLLARS!" Mint cried, flapping his arms.

"What intelligent activity do you have planned?"

"Hey Manny, if we run through the grass REALLY FAST, the wild Pokémon won't catch us!" Mint shrieked with glee.

"A wild BIDOOF appeared. There's no escape! Mint was horribly mauled by a level 2 BIDOOF. Mint's mother says she'll try better next time," Manny narrated, but Mint was already walking towards the tall grass. Manny shrugged. "Well, Mint's Mom, I tried."

"HOLD IT!"

Stopped cold, Mint and Manny turned to face an old, white-haired, mustachioed man. He was formally dressed in a white shirt, grey tie, blue vest and trousers, with a brown briefcase in hand. He rushed up to the boys, speaking to them in a very cross manner, his white eyebrows sitting high on his wrinkly forehead.

"You were trying to walk in the tall grass, weren't you?"

Mint raised his hand. "We were only going to–"

"SILENCE! The temerity of today's youth, walking in tall grass like nobody's business! Don't you know the terrible danger of walking in tall grass without a Pokémon to protect you?!"

Manny raised an eyebrow.

"If that is so, then why does the Safari Zone _take away_ your Pokémon before letting you in?"

"THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT. Here, choose one of these three Pokémon that I am giving away to you both for no discernible reason."

"Yay! Christmas comes early!" Mint cheered.

"Shouldn't you ask our Moms first?" Manny frowned.

"Children who belong to single-parent households are renowned for their independence and decision-making skills. I read it on _Wikipedia_, so it must be true," the greying man sniffed.

"Uh," Manny hesitated.

"I am a perfect stranger who is giving away living weapons to minors. Really, there is nothing suspicious about my behaviour or police record," the man insisted.

"Then I choose Turtwig."

"CHIMCHAR!" Mint shouted, snatching up the Pokéball as though it were a fistful of sweet, sweet chocolate. "Manny! Let's go catch the legendary Pokémon at the lake RIGHT NOW!"

"You want to catch a legendary Pokémon with newborn Pokémon."

"Our youthful earnestness guarantees us success!" Mint declared, dragging Manny by the scarf to the lake. The greying man snapped his briefcase shut and wandered off to look for a child to take the Piplup off his hands.

888

At the lakefront, they saw a tall man with sallow skin and spiky blue hair talking to the still waters.

"Sleep while you can, legendary Pokémon of the lake bed."

He turned. His grey eyes… were of the Void. No human emotion the boys could identify marked his features or his voice. He wore black clothing, with a grey jacket bearing a spiky, gold letter 'G'.

With perfect indifference in his tone, he told the boys to get out of his way, and left.

"Wow, that guy was so angsty, he killed the grass he was standing on," Manny commented.

"So where's the legendary Pokémon? Come on, Manny, let's find it!"

"Judging from the tall angry man's words, I don't think even he was able to find it," Manny surmised. "Furthermore, he looked like Elite Four material, what with the spiky blue hair and grim attitude."

"You need more than crazy hair and attitude to join the Elite Four."

"Tell FabuLance that."

Mint scuttled on hands and knees to the water's edge, peering into its clear depths.

"Hey Manny, don't we need a Pokéball to capture the legendary Pokémon?"

"I see that your brain has finally evolved. Yes, Mint, we'd need a Pokéball. Maybe forty of them, and Ultra Balls at that."

Mint's face fell. Manny patted him on the head.

"Come on, we have to tell our Moms about our new Pokémon; _especially_ mine. She's touchy about these things."

In the privacy of their home, when he told her, his Mom sat heavily on a kitchen chair.

"You're going to leave me just like your Dad, aren't you?" she whispered, her eyes looking ten years and nine months into the past. She could still see her lover, running like heck when she showed him her positive pregnancy test, leaving nothing but a wad of cash behind, which she had used as the down payment for this house. Now, the circumstances were different, but the one she loved was still leaving her.

"Mom, I don't _want_ to go on a Pokémon adventure. Mint is a spaz and we don't even know where that weird middle-aged guy got those Pokémon. What if they have diseases?"

His mother stared at him.

"Are you sure, Manny? That guy must be Professor Rowan. He's a crackpot that gives away Pokémon to kids without their parents's permission, but he's a good man. You should go to Sandgem Town and thank him for your new friend, at the very least."

"Way to stand up for your parental rights, Mom. I was thinking of returning the Pokémon and saying, 'No thanks, I don't want to make the same mistakes my absent father did!', but you're the adult here, so I have no choice, do I?"

He did not.


	2. Chapter 2: Sandgem Town

Manny ran to Sandgem Town wearing the new running shoes his Mom had given him, carrying a parcel for Mint from the boy's mother. He battled his first ever Bidoof and his first ever Starly, and thought it was pretty neat that he was raising a killing machine. By the time he battled his fifth and sixth Bidoof and Starly, however, the novelty had worn off, though his Turtwig became much stronger. At Sandgem's entrance he was accosted by a short bespectacled girl with grey-green eyes and sandy blonde hair.

"Hey, are you Manny?"

"Yeah?"

"My name's Hannah, or Hanny for short. Professor Rowan wants to see you."

"I came here looking for him," Manny admitted while Hanny escorted him into Rowan's lab just down the street. Inside he met the Professor along with his assistant, Dawn. Manny wasted no time in criticising the man's methods.

"Professor, why do you waste perfectly good Pokémon on kids? Kids get distracted easily! How are you so sure they'll be faithful Trainers?"

"I'm not, but according to chaos theory, at least one of you cretins will turn out to be a Pokémon Master. Therefore, you will help me add new entries to this Pokédex," Rowan insisted, pushing the device into Manny's face.

"How?" the boy sputtered, "The only incomplete entries belong to legendary Pokémon. The hundreds other Pokémon of Sinnoh - and other regions - have been so exhaustively studied by Trainers and scientists alike that I couldn't possibly contribute. Don't you read _Bulbapedia_?"

"Then get out there and capture the legendary Pokémon," Rowan ordered, as though he were asking Manny to pass the salt.

"You're insane."

"I'm a Professor! My insanity has brought me considerable praise. Now _git!_ Take Hannah with you."

"Wait, _what_?" Hanny demanded, "Why me? I don't have a Pokémon! Send Dawn instead!"

"Dawn is staying here as my assistant. Also, your parents want to get rid of you for a few days at least; they said something about the Resort Area. Take Piplup. Manny has Turtwig and the spastic blonde kid has Chimchar."

"I HAVE SCHOOL TOMORROW! And every other day! And so does Manny!"

"School?" Professor Rowan blinked, "There are no schools in the Sinnoh Region; only Pokémon Trainer schools."

"That's right; my Mom home-schools me," Manny said.

"Hanny, you know very well that academic education is near-useless in a world filled with magical creatures. Either you go with Manny on your very first Pokémon adventure, or I call your parents and tell them you want to ruin their vacation."

"You're blackmailing me?" Hanny threw up her arms in shock.

"I do what I must. And that means using child labour to further my research."

"Ugh," Hannah relented, lifting her glasses to rub her face with both hands. Then she glared at the Professor. "Have you actually used an Empoleon in combat? The videos I saw on _YouTube_ aren't encouraging. _Nobody_ starts with Piplup! I want a Turtwig!"

"But Manny has…"

"I'm telling my parents that you were too stubborn to send me away," she threatened, whipping out her cell phone.

"Okay! Okay! I'll call Cheryl; put that thing away!"

"Why do your parents want to get rid of you?" Manny whispered.

"Second honeymoon," Hanny rolled her eyes. "They've been talking about it for _months._ It's driving me crazy."

Rowan went to the Pokéball teleportation device at the back of the lab. He called Cheryl on the videophone.

"Cheryl, I need a Turtwig before this angry prepubescent girl kills me."

_"Hi, Hanny!"_

"Hi, Cheryl. Rowan wanted to give me a Piplup for my starter."

_"Rowan, have you actually _used_ an Empoleon in combat? The _YouTube_ videos…"_

"Leave me alone! I don't use the Interwebs!" Rowan threw up his hands. A minute later there was a flash of light as the Pokéball appeared.

"I shall love him and hug him and call him Orric," she proclaimed, nabbing the red and white sphere.

"Why do you name your Pokémon?" Manny frowned.

"I am safe in the knowledge that, if I am ever stuck in a room full of Turtwig, Orric will be the only one to answer when I call his name."

"O…kay. Professor, how come we don't use teleportation for humans?" Manny asked.

"Find a way to stuff a human inside a Pokéball, and we'll talk. Now GIT!"

Outside Rowan's lab, Manny phoned his Mom.

"Yeah, he gave me a Pokédex. No, I haven't seen him–"

_THUD!_

"MINT used TACKLE! Hey Manny!"

"Are you incapable of waving hello? Yeah, Mint just knocked me over, Mom. I'm sorry, Mom, I'll come visit. I love you too. Bye!"

Manny gave Mint the parcel, which he instantly shredded.

"Hey, two Town Maps! But why are there two? You can have one, Manny."

"Your generosity knows no bounds."

"Who's your girlfriend?"

Hanny punched Mint in the top of his head.

"Call me that again and Orric will massacre you."

"Gah! Manny, she's scaring me! And who's Orric? He sounds scary, too!"

"This is Hanny. Her parents disowned her…"

"Wow, tough break."

"… so Professor Rowan gave her a Turtwig. She gives nicknames to her Pokémon; can you believe that?"

"Nope! Giving nicknames is dumb!"

"Grrr!" Hanny menaced him with her Pokéball.

"Ahh! I'm going to Jubilife City, see ya later Manny!"

He tore off, away from the she-devil.

"Yes, he was always like that," Manny responded to the look Hanny gave him. "I think there's some Porygon-Z in his family."

"Excuse me!"

The Trainers turned to watch Dawn run out of Rowan's lab.

"Hi! I wanted to give you this."

She pressed a CD into Manny's hand.

"That Technical Machine, or TM, teaches your Pokémon the move 'Return'!"

"How?"

Dawn blinked at him.

"I'm sorry?"

"How does this CD teach a Pokémon a skill?"

"I'm… not entirely sure. Maybe you insert the CD into the Pokémon?"

"That sounds like a recipe for success. Thanks, Dawn."

"You're welcome!" she beamed, and flounced back indoors. Manny turned the CD over in his hands.

"This is the best Normal-type move there is. As soon as I figure out how to use it, I'm gonna teach it to a Starly, who'll become an awesome Staraptor!"

"More importantly, do you even know _how_ to catch Pokémon?" Hanny asked.

"Knock them out, then toss a Pokéball at them; it's easy."

"No! They have to be aware that they're being caught, or else they'll rebel when they wake up! You have to, like, paralyse, poison, burn, freeze, or put them to sleep first," she counted off her fingers. "Capture them when they're weak."

"That's a dreadful way of making new friends! Can't I just ask them to come with me?"

"No. Almost kill first, make friends later. It's the rules. Let's get some Pokéballs at the PokéMart."

They entered the building with the blue roof only to find the shelves containing nothing but regular Pokéballs and Potions that could barely heal a skinned knee.

"Where is the rest of your stock?" Hanny asked the two clerks, who glowered at her.

"Where's your badge?" Clerk One asked.

"You don't have any, do you?" Clerk Two accused her.

"Can't you bend the rules just this once?" Hanny pleaded.

"BURN THE WITCH!" the Clerks yelled, producing a flaming torch, stake, and rope from under the counter. Hanny grabbed Manny and high-tailed it out of there.

"It's okay, I still have a couple in my backpack," Hanny said. They ran across a Starly upon entering the tall grass. Her baby Turtwig tackled the poor creature several times until it could barely flap its wings.

"Pokéball, GO!"

With the power of science (SCIENCE!) the tiny bird was stuffed into the even tinier Pokéball with a flash of light. The ball rocked back and forth for a few moments while the Starly struggled to get free, but then the button glowed with a pleasing musical tone, signaling a capture.

"She's yours. Her name is Keira."

"Buh?" Manny spluttered.

"I don't want a Starly. Its evolutions are so stupid-looking. However, she was difficult to catch, so you'd _better_ use her, or I'll string you up by your toenails."

"You're really scary, Hanny."

"Thank you. Now let's get to Jubilife. I hope I don't have to punch that spaz again."

Thus began Manny's reluctant Pokémon adventure. Of course, no adventure is complete without random encounters. A Bidoof blocked their way.

"I might as well train my new Starly. Starly, go!"

The little bird Pokémon appeared, tweeting with curiosity at the one who summoned her.

"Use Tackle!"

The Starly glowered at him. Manny blinked, waving his hand towards the Bidoof who inclined its head in confusion.

"Use Tackle, Starly!"

"Her name is KEIRA!" Hanny reminded him, also frowning.

"But she's MY Starly!"

"I nicknamed her! She won't answer to anything else!"

"…What."

Hanny gave an evil chuckle with steepled fingers, pleased with her ruse. The Bidoof yawned.

"F-fine. Keira, use Tackle!"

Keira fell asleep.

"Hey!" Manny yelled, "Use Tackle!"

"Zzz."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. A Pokémon you received in a trade won't listen to you until you get a certain Gym Badge. Bye!" Hanny cackled and ran off. Grumbling at her humiliating shenanigans, Manny followed her along the winding path.

"You there!"

"Me?"

A boy in short pants ran up to him.

"Our eyes have met, so battle we must!"

"What?" Manny said in bewilderment.

"Jack, go!"

The boy's Starly materialised out of his Pokéball, chirping and full of pep.

"At least your Starly obeys you. Turtwig, go!"

"You didn't nickname your Pokémon?" the boy asked, aghast.

"Uh, no?"

"You're some kind of weirdo! Jack, use Quick Attack!"

Despite Jack's speed advantage, the battle was one-sided. The boy in short pants returned the unconscious Jack and stuffed a wad of cash into Manny's hand. Manny looked down at the bills.

"Why did you give me money?"

"Are you some kinda noob? That's the prize money for defeating me in battle!"

"That's gambling! And extortion!" Manny protested.

"Tch, whatever, noob, I'm gonna train Jack until he can take down your puny Turtwig in one Quick Attack!"

"What did I ever do to deserve this?" Manny cried, running away from him, only to be accosted once more, this time by a girl in short pants.

"A battle, please!"

"WHY DO YOU ALL HATE ME?" Manny sobbed.


	3. Chapter 3: Jubilife City

After battling three complete strangers, Manny caught up with Hanny.

"Hanny! I was molested by children on the way here!"

"Those wimps? I beat them up every day and take their lunch money."

"Doesn't anyone go to SCHOOL in Sinnoh? What are they doing hanging around, pouncing on innocent passers-by?"

When they arrived at the largest city in Sinnoh, Manny paused to take in the buildings that soared to the heavens, blocking view of the sky and sun. Then he got vertigo, and had to look at the ground, which was smooth grey asphalt, burning in the midday heat. A resident ran up to them.

"Hey, are you guys new Trainers? Then visit the Trainer's School! I saw some blonde kid enter there not too long ago."

"We'll pass," they chorused, and went further into the city.

"People act as though we haven't been studying Pokémon our entire lives. It's kind of hard not to know everything about them by the time you learn how to read," Hanny huffed.

"Yeah, we sort of grew up around them, and the Pokédex is freely available on _Bulbapedia_, so what's there to study?" Manny shrugged.

"What's that man doing?" Hanny said, staring at the suspicious character dressed in a trench coat, who was hiding behind a lamp post. Noticing that he was being looked at, the man ran from the cover of one lamp post to another, peeking from the side to glare at the two Trainers.

Hannah walked boldly up to the man. "Excuse me, what are you doing?"

"AHA!" the man shouted triumphantly, running from the safety of the lamp post to confront the Trainers. "You saw me! I was trying not to be seen, but no, no, no, you saw through my disguise! That means you understood how remarkable I was, didn't you?! How did you know I was a member of the International Police?" the man demanded loudly, drawing the stares of passers-by.

Manny held up both hands. "We didn't…"

"Nonsense! You are clearly gifted with powers of observation no normal human being has! You will want to know my name, yes? Well, it's… no, no, no, that won't do! For now, call me Looker!" he commanded, his thick eyebrows wagging dangerously.

Hanny arched an eyebrow, pushing up her glasses. "You're a voyeur?"

"Pffffft!" he made a dismissive hand gesture, rolling his perpetually frowning eyes. "I was acquitted of those charges. Incidentally, is the saying 'Don't be a thief' familiar to you?"

Manny looked at Hanny. "We're not sure…"

"You must! Taking things from others is wrong. There are those in Sinnoh guilty of such, stealing people's Pokémon!"

Hanny began to ask, "Are they Team R-" but the man hunched over, speaking in a conspiratorial tone.

"I have been on the lookout for such characters. Incidentally, you two are Trainers, yes? Perhaps you can make use of this!" He shoved two identical devices into their hands. "That Versus Recorder is useful for recording the battles you've fought with other Trainers! I'm giving them away free to young children for completely innocent reasons!"

He stood up suddenly, his head whipping left and right.

"You never had this conversation with me! Understand?! And you are not to reveal my secret identity to others!"

"But you're shouting in the middle of the street! There are people staring at us," Manny said, giving an apologetic grin to the crowd that had gathered around them.

"You must not speak to me again! Actually, yes, yes, you may speak to me. You must," he begged, groveling before the kids, "Not because I'm lonely, no, no! You must inform me of the BAD GUYS! You must inform me of any happenings, because I can't read and don't own a television and am afraid of the Interwebs!"

He dashed for cover behind a lamp post, his eyes darting back and forth like a Pidgey expecting an Ekans to strike. Then he was gone with the wind, racing down the street. The crowd murmured and dispersed.

"…We need to get a restraining order," Hanny decided, "but there are no police stations in Sinnoh."

At the city square, a representative of the Pokétch Company was milling around. When he spied Manny and Hanny he raced up to them.

"Fresh meat! There are three clowns around the city. Find them all and win a free Pokémon Watch!"

"We already did," Hanny said, slapping six coupons into the salesperson's hands. "They were grabbing every kid they saw, forcing them to take coupons. I remember one girl shrieking for her mother, but like us, she was without an adult on a Pokémon adventure. The clowns shut her up with coupons, though. They were a sad, desperate lot. Don't you pay your employees?"

"Not the temps. Here are your free Pokémon Watches called 'Pokétch' for short!"

"Excellent," Manny said, attaching the wristband. "Now I have the exact same functions on my watch that I do on my cell phone."

"Oh, those aren't ALL the features! New ones are being created every day! In fact, our CEO gives away free applications to Trainers with badges!"

Hanny arched an eyebrow. "How does your company turn a profit?"

"Suing our competitors, of course! Now, get out there, my little walking billboards, and advertise Pokétch so we don't have to!"

Before they searched for Route 203, Hanny asked Manny whether he'd seen the inside of a Pokémon Centre.

"You missed the one in Sandgem."

"That's because you were dragging me everywhere!"

Thus Manny was introduced to his first Pokémon Centre. While Nurse Joy healed their Pokémon, Hanny gave Manny a tour of the Centre's facilities. Each Pokémon Centre is a home away from home for Trainers. Trainers below the age of 13 may use its facilities for free, including the bathrooms, food court and recreational area. Once there is accommodation, a Trainer may spend the night there, either in a sleeping bag or, if the Centre is large enough, the sleeping quarters.

Manny returned to the front desk to collect his Pokémon.

"Thank you!" the pink-haired nurse said with a bright smile. "We hope to see you again!"

Manny's face fell. "You hope my Pokémon get injured again?"

The nurse blinked.

"Good heavens, no! I say that to all Trainers!"

"You want _everyone's _Pokémon to get injured so that they will come back here? You monster!"

"I… I'm not a monster!"

Nurse Joy ran crying inside. Hanny punched Manny in the head, then dragged him by the ear outside. She looked around at all the tall buildings.

"Isn't it amazing how every place of interest has a huge billboard next to the entrance? I wish my home had a big sign saying, 'Hanny's House'."

"I do; it's on my mailbox. Every house in TwinLeaf has some sort of sign announcing the owner's name. Even the spaz has one."

"Don't you think that's weird?"

"Weird how?"

"Why doesn't it state the OWNER of the house? Doesn't your Mom own your house, and Mint's Mom, hers?"

"Huh. I don't know the name of Mint's Mom."

"What the name of your Mom, then?"

Manny drew a blank.

"I… I never asked her."

Hanny rubbed the back of her neck. "Um, this is awkward. I never asked my parents their names, either."

"I don't even know the name of my father. Good grief, this is sad. I don't even know the names of my neighbours!"

Exiting east onto Route 203 within an awkward silence, Manny connected to the Internet on his Pokédex.

"According to the Sinnoh Trainer walkthrough on _Psypokes_ dot com, we can catch Shinx and Abra in this area."

Hanny pumped her fist. "Let's get to it!"

After beating the Pokémon Trainers in the area, both caught a Shinx within minutes.

"Now," Manny said, sitting cross-legged before the Shinx he had just caught, "let's see what the Pokédex says about your Nature."

"Why do you care about that? I just caught Kipp, and he's Relaxed, but so what?"

"That ten-percent difference isn't important now, but it _will_ be when it's a Luxray and can only get in two or three hits before it's KO'd."

The Pokédex is the _Tricorder_ of the Pokémon universe. Just by waving it over a Pokémon, it can measure that Pokémon's chemical balance, muscular structure and many other physiological factors that give a fairly accurate estimate of that Pokémon's health and personality.

"You have an Adamant nature. That is acceptable for my Starly… I mean, Keira, who is also Adamant, but not in a Luxray who will learn Discharge and possibly be taught Thunderbolt." Manny stood up and pointed away. "Get lost!"

Its little tail and ears drooping, the unwanted Shinx slinked off. Hannah and Kipp watched with mouths wide open.

"You're going to spend all day crushing their fragile little hearts, aren't you?"

Manny mimicked Rowan's gruff voice, twirling an imaginary moustache. "Chaos theory postulates that I WILL obtain a Shinx with a Lonely or Naughty nature, eventually. The rest are offal. Bah and humbug!"

Hanny sauntered off to Oreburgh City while Manny played catch-and-release with numerous Shinx.

As the sun was setting, he found a perfect Shinx, and was so moved by pride that he picked up the Shinx and ran all the way to the top of the hill, just before the entrance to Mt. Coronet. From that high vantage point, Manny lifted the Shinx high above his head to the dying rays of the sun. Every Abra, Bidoof, Kricketot, Shinx and Starly beneath them lifted their eyes to the glorious sight, and knew that their king was born. They knelt in reverence to the one who was chosen; the one would surpass them.

Hanny returned that evening with the Coal Badge. There was also something very different about the way she traveled. Manny could not help but gape.

"Where did you get a Ponyta?"

Riding bareback, Hanny tugged gently on the reins to bring the flaming pony to a halt. Its fiery mane lit up the oncoming night. Hanny stroked its head.

"Just north of Oreburgh. Wait, don't touch him!"

"OW!" Manny yelped and jumped backwards, holding his hand.

"You silly git, Ponyta burn those they don't trust!"

"I know that! I thought _we_ were friends, Hanny!"

"I _just_ caught Zeke, and I barely know you! Rowan just jammed us together before sending us off!"

"Ugh, whatever. I have to buy a Burn Heal."

While returning to Jubilife City, Manny regaled her with his afternoon activities.

"After twenty-three tries I finally caught a male Shinx with a 'Lonely' nature and the passive ability to intimidate his foes."

"Awesome. By the way, the Pokéball I used to catch _your _Starly cost two hundred bucks. I charge a fifteen percent interest rate, so that will be two hundred and thirty Pokédollars, please."

She held out her hand. Manny looked at it: hard, dry bumps riddled her small palm.

"But you said–"

"Pay up or I won't be your friend anymore."

"Fine," he grumbled, dishing out the cash. "I threw away five Abra who didn't have a Mild nature, so I settled on the sixth one; he has a Docile nature."

"So what was that big speech about a ten percent advantage?"

Manny slapped his forehead. "I got bored, so I'll just have to suffer, won't I? Look, I'll catch up with you after I beat Roark. You're going to Floaroma Town, right?"

"Uh huh. Gonna get me some berries. Maybe visit the Windworks."

"By the way, why do you have bumps on your hands?"

"They're called 'calluses'. Zeke may be the first Ponyta I ever caught, but I take care of lots of 'em on the ranch."

Zeke gave a little whinny. After saying their goodbyes, Hanny galloped off while Manny entered the PokéMart.

"Ahhh! It's you guys again!"

"Oh look, it's the witch's assistant," Clerk One sneered.

"You must have met our clones in Sandgem Town," Clerk Two said.

"Clones," Manny repeated, shaking his head. "Really, if you're working two shifts, it's nothing to be ashamed of. I'd like a Burn Heal, please."

"Did you get your first badge yet?" they said together.

"What? But my hand…"

"No badge, no service," they said together once more and showed him the door.


	4. Chapter 4: Oreburgh City

Cursing his badgelessness and blistering hand, Manny went all the way back to Oreburgh Gate; a fairly short cave connected to Jubilife. At the entrance, an obese Hiker grabbed Manny and shoved a Hidden Machine into his hands, told him it taught Pokémon how to 'Rock Smash', ordered him to vanquish the Gym Leader in Oreburgh, then shoved him further into the cave. Manny decided to teach his Turtwig that HM move… once he learned how.

While groping through the dark, Manny quickly realised something.

"AUGH! I HATE ZUBAT!"

He ran screaming out the cave with a flock chasing him. They let up when he entered the city limits, however.

_THUD!_

"Ow! Oh hey, Manny, YOU crashed into me this time!"

"Crap. Uh, it's nice to see you, Mint. For once."

"Manny, why is there a Zubat in your hair?"

Manny put a hand on his head. "A Zubat in my- AUGH! _AUUGHHH__!_ GET IT OFF! _GET IT OFF_!"

"Chimchar, use Ember!"

"And now my HAIR is on FIRE! _MY HAIR IS ON F-_"

Heedless of where he was fleeing, Manny ran smack into a Machop who was carrying a load of coal. The coal buried Manny, putting the hair fire out. Screeching its annoyance, the singed Zubat returned to its cave. Mint had been laughing all this time.

"That was really funny, Manny, we should do that again," he snorted while the Machop pulled Manny from the coal pile.

"After I defeat Roark, I'm going to murder you, just so you know."

"Aw, you're such a downer, Manny. I'm going to Floaroma Town. Who knows, I might bump into your girlfriend again!"

"She's not…!"

But Mint had torn off already. Manny went to Oreburgh Gym, where he was told that Roark was working in the city's coal mine. After tearing through legions of Geodude, Onix, and infernal Zubat, Manny found the Gym Leader at the back of the mine. The man wore a bright red miner's hat that matched his dirty red hair. His grey overalls and black boots were also filthy with coal dust. Roark removed his glasses to wipe sweat and grime from his face.

"Hey kid, what's up?"

"I challenge you to a Gym battle. I also hate your city's coal mine and wish an earthquake would destroy it, killing all the Zubat inside."

"Have you heard of Repel?"

"Heard of what?"

"They invented this nasty-smelling body spray that wards off wild Pokémon."

"Why wasn't I told of that?!" Manny shouted, smashing his blistered fist into a nearby wall. "Ow."

"You're not allowed to purchase Repel from PokéMarts until you have your first badge. Speaking of which, take this Coal Badge."

Manny blinked dumbly at the shiny symbol Roark handed him.

"Aren't we supposed to battle first?"

"Kid, you have a Turtwig with Razor Leaf that singlehandedly took down ten Pokémon on the way in here. My current team doesn't stand a chance."

"How did you know…?"

"This is a coal mine, boy; it echoes. Here, take this TM that'll teach your Pokémon 'Stealth Rock'. Now get out of here before I change my mind."

"Wait, how do I use Technical Machines?"

"Place your Pokémon inside a Pokéball, insert the CD into your Pokédex, then run the 'TM' or 'HM' program to upload the move to your Pokémon."

"Wow, thanks, Roark!"

After battling another ten Pokémon on his way out, Manny visited the PokéMart. As if by magic, hundreds of healing items and Pokéballs now lined the shelves. Even more startling, the same two clerks were behind the counter as in Jubilife City. Manny slammed his Coal Badge onto the counter.

"Give me a Burn Heal NOW."

"Oh look, it's the kid who doesn't believe in clones," chuckled Clerk One, handing over the item in question. Manny sprayed the whole bottle onto his injured hand. Within seconds it was miraculously made whole.

"Yes, we don't allow Trainers to buy anything of real value until they have a Gym badge," Clerk Two reminded him.

"Isn't that counterproductive?"

Clerk One waved his arms in agitation. "It's the rules! We can't have fledgling Trainers purchasing Full Restores and Ultra Balls early on; it would make their adventure too easy!"

"O…kay. By the way, how come you guys run this PokéMart, too?"

"We're clones," they chorused, "our brothers in Jubilife told you that. Just like our cousin, Nurse Joy, whose sisters control every Pokémon Centre on the planet. _The clones will rise!"_ they punched the sky.

"I still think you guys are just working overtime. There's no such thing as clones!"

Clerk One snorted. "Then I suppose there's no such thing as MewTwo. That worldwide storm a few years back must have been a mass hallucination!"

"But MewTwo is… why would they clone… SHUT UP!" Manny yelled. "Just give me five of everything!"

After filling his backpack with supplies, Manny remembered to capture a Ponyta in the tall grass north of Oreburgh: after several tries, he caught a female, with a Naughty nature befitting her strengths. As night fell, he doused himself with stinking Repel before returning to Jubilife City. He encountered not one Zubat along the way, so he entered the city with a skip in his step and a song in his heart. Fate, however, would not permit the boy to be happy for even that brief respite.

"Aha!"

Manny backpedalled almost to the city gate. "Oh no, you're that stalker!"

Looker, the detective from International Police, ran up to Manny, his dark eyes flashing. "Tell me, have you not obtained a Pal Pad?"

"I don't…"

_"Is not a Pal Pad free to anyone visiting the Pokémon Centre's basement?"_ he shouted, causing Manny to cringe. The detective whirled around suddenly to look behind him. Certain that no-one was spying on them, he resumed his aggressive dialogue. "Anyway, there appears to be no-one shady in this Jubilife City."

"Excluding you? That's a relief. I can't handle more than one loon in a trench coat."

"I shall therefore take my investigation elsewhere. But, my friend," he wagged a finger, "I suggest you remain vigilant for shady grownups!"

"I'm looking at one right now."

"WHAT! WHO? WHERE?" he yelled, dropping to the ground and rolling for cover behind the nearest building. While Looker panicked like a Rattata caught in a Noctowl's claws, Manny dashed to the northern end of the city. While catching his breath, a gruff moustache yelled at him.

"Manny!"

"What now?"

Professor Rowan and Hanny were having an altercation with two men. Looker, it seemed, wasn't very good at his job, because these guys couldn't be shadier: their hair was dyed turquoise, cut into a ridiculous bowl shape. To top it off, they were both wearing a futuristic jumpsuit coloured white, light grey and black, with a big, spiky gold "G" on the chest. They also appeared to be identical twins.

"Manny!" Rowan called again. "These ruffians want to take away my valuable research data!"

"I would punch their lights out, but they've got me outnumbered," Hanny groused. She was standing with balled fists between Rowan and the jumpsuit twins.

Manny ran to join her. "The rules say that you must have a Pokémon battle instead of an actual fistfight!"

"Actually, we were going to shoot them," one of the jumpsuits said, unholstering and aiming a handgun at Rowan, who promptly fainted. Hanny stood stock-still.

Manny swallowed hard. "D- Do you want your boss to get angry at you? You don't shoot people when you can battle them with Pokémon! Think of all the money you'd save on firearm maintenance and ammunition!"

"The kid's right," the other jumpsuit said, holstering her handgun. "The boss already hates how much the shooting range costs."

They tossed out a Zubat and Skunky, which Hanny and Manny trounced with impunity. Realising they had been tricked, the jumpsuits reached for their handguns.

"Orric, Razor Leaf!" Hanny commanded. The leaves knocked the weapons from their hands.

The weird twins shook their fists while retreating. "This isn't the end! You'll hear from Team Galactic!"

Manny heaved a sigh of relief, sitting on the ground. "It's a good thing Team Galactic doesn't hire intelligent workers. We have to call the police."

"Sinnoh doesn't have local law enforcement," Hanny said, trying to smack Rowan awake.

"So how do you fight crime?"

"Sinnoh has no crime."

"No domestic disputes? What about thefts and murders?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Everybody is well-adjusted, friendly and helpful, except for the guys who just tried to shoot us, of course."

"What about a legal system? Aren't there births and marriages to record, property disputes, divorces to handle?"

"Birth and marriage don't need to be written down. There has never been a property dispute or divorce in Sinnoh. People respect each other's property and never have marital problems or irreconcilable differences."

"The world doesn't work like that, Hanny!"

"It does here, Manny. _It does here_."

That last smack woke up Rowan.

"Uhhh… are those guns? Did those hooligans drop them?"

"How do you even KNOW what guns are?" Manny demanded. "I'm sure you've never seen one in your life!"

"Don't you watch foreign television, Manny? Let's throw these horrid things away."

Rowan tossed them into the tall grass.

"There. Now, about Team Galactic… when Pokémon evolve, they release a mystic energy. I believe that 'evolution energy' is beyond our control, but Team Galactic is trying to harness it. After all, ninety percent of all Pokémon are tied to evolution!"

"If they could harness 'evolution energy', they would have a source of cheap, renewable energy," Hanny said.

"They don't seem very nice, so I imagine they would monopolise this new energy source. They'd put every power company on the planet out of business. They'd make _trillions_ of dollars, able to buy and sell entire nations at whim," Manny said.

Rowan's eyes bugged out of his head. "You children think too much! I'm going back to my lab to conduct further research. Good day, Manny, Hanny."

They watched him walk off. Manny resumed their recent argument. "Other than Team Galactic, we live in an impossible utopia, Hanny."

"Aren't you glad that we do?"

"Nothing can stay this perfect forever. I think Team Galactic is going to do something terrible with Pokémon, if they haven't already."

"Then we'll keep an eye out for them. Our Pokémon will protect us. Let's go."

"Oh!" a voice called out behind them. The kids turned to watch a fat man in blue overalls waddle up to them.

"That was very good! Nicely done! Truly excellent!"

"And you are?" Hanny prompted.

"Oh, I beg your pardon, I'm from Jubilife TV! I'd like you two to have something for letting me see that smashing battle!"

Manny shook his head. "You were spying on us? Looker was right when he warned me to watch for shady grownups!"

"Oh, you ran into him, too? He told me the exact same thing. Creepy guy."

The man in overalls handed them both a Fashion Case.

"Use those Fashion Cases to dress up your Pokémon! You can win prizes at our TV station if you do!"

Leaving them with that enticement, the man waddled off.

"I have no interest in pimping out my Pokémon to television audiences," Manny said with disgust.

"We have better things to do," Hanny said.

Thus ignoring potential stardom, the kids went north, defeating Trainers who lay in ambush. Among them was a lad called Tyler.

"I'll defeat you with the Magikarp my dad gave me!"

Manny and Hanny looked at the Magikarp he summoned. They burst into laughter.

"Your dad is a magnificent bastard, Tyler," Manny whooped, wiping tears from his eyes.

"Yeah, next time tell him to give you a REAL Pokémon," Hanny chortled.

Tears welled up in Tyler's eyes. "I KNEW Dad tricked me! I'm gonna tell Mom!" he bawled, running away with his useless Pokémon underarm.

"Should we have told him that it evolves into one of the most powerful water Pokémon?" Hanny asked her companion in crime.

"Nah, if Tyler is dumb enough to use a Magikarp in a Trainer battle, I'm surprised he remembers his own name."

When Hanny and Manny entered the Ravaged Path cave, they had their Turtwigs Rock Smash the boulders blocking the way to Floaroma Town.


	5. Chapter 5: Floaroma Town

The scent washed over them, lulling their senses into utter relaxation. They sighed as though in a dream, closing their eyes and lifting their noses to worship the glorious aroma.

"This is what heaven smells like," Manny murmured.

Rather than concrete and asphalt, Floaroma Town was covered in an unbroken carpet of flowers whose fabulous colours and scents subdued the wandering spirit. Even at night, with only the moon to guide their footsteps, the kids marveled at the lush tapestry of nature beneath their feet.

"Can we stay here forever?" Hanny asked.

"I am NOT eloping with you in this place. It's too near home. However, I will lie down among these flowers for the next few hours."

"This _is _a wonderful place to set up camp. Since neither of us has a tent, I hope it doesn't rain. By the way, I caught a Budew, Wurmple, Zubat, Geodude, Psyduck, Onix, Abra and Kricketot. It seems I have better luck without you."

He blinked sleepily. "You caught all of those after you left me?"

"Yep," she said, showing off her new Pokédex entries. "In your _face, _Manny!"

But Manny was already snoring. Disappointed with her bragging failure, Hanny went exploring. In the meadow outside of town, she encountered a Combee-keeper and some thugs in familiar jumpsuits.

"Hi there, it seems you're having some problems with Team Galactic!"

"Yes!" the Combee-keeper cried. The thugs tied him up, then raided his home, ignoring the girl. "They are robbing me! Please help!"

"What will you give me in return?"

"I'll give you a pot of honey for free! Please stop them!" the man cried, wiggling on the ground like a Metapod.

"Nnnnnnah, I'll pick this up tomorrow," Hanny yawned, returning the way she came.

"Where are you going?" the Combee-keeper bawled. "Please! My wife and children are in there!"

The next morning, after breakfast and a shower in the local Pokémon Centre, Hanny ventured onto the meadow once more. The Combee-keeper was still tied up on the ground, joined by his wife and four kids. The Team Galactic thugs were having a smoke outside their victims's home.

"Ten pots of honey!" the broken man sobbed. "I'll give you TEN pots of honey!"

"I accept!"

Hanny vanquished the thugs forthwith with Orric and Zeke. Shaking their fists with impotent fury, the Galactic thugs bribed her with a key so that they could run away.

"Slather that honey on the trunk of a sweet-smelling tree, and you'll attract rare Pokémon!" the man informed her while untying his spouse and children.

"Slather it on a _tree? _I'm going to slather this on hot, buttery biscuits and possibly cornbread."

She did. In a gesture of infinite generosity, she saved a hunk of cornbread and dollop of honey for Manny whom she found dozing in the same spot she'd left him.

"Great googly moogly, this tastes so good!" he spoke between bites. Hanny smirked, pleased that her traditional family recipe had found favour with the stupid one.

"I got this key from the Team Galactic grunts I scared off. They said it's for the Windworks."

"When did you fight Team Galactic grunts? Besides, do we HAVE to get involved in their team's daily activities? They'll think we're stalking them."

"If you get off your lazy butt, I'll let you have some more honey, but this time on hot, buttery biscuits."

Four minutes later Manny was following Hanny like a pet Growlithe, shut up in immeasurable contentment with the snack.

"This is the ambrosia of the gods," Manny said, tears in his eyes, messing up his good clean scarf with delicious drippings and crumbs.

Upon arriving at the Windworks just east of Floaroma Town, they hustled through some minor Pokémon battles with Galactic grunts before confronting their redhead boss, who called herself 'Commander Mars'. There was a haggard scientist wearing a dirty lab coat behind her, accompanied by a diminutive old man with sparse, spiky lilac hair and red-tinted glasses, who wore a lab coat over a Team Galactic jumpsuit.

That old scientist made a far greater impression on the young Trainers than the hotheaded female commander; his bent stature, perpetual frown, and heavy-lidded, beady eyes bespoke a man carrying an unimaginable weight. He was the polar opposite of the painfully erect, bristling young woman staring them down with snarling lips.

Commander Mars trained her weapon on the children. "How did you trick my underlings into using their weak Pokémon instead of their firearms?"

Manny smacked his lips, looking ready to fall asleep. "They're idiots. But answer me this, my good woman: what would prevent an ambitious grunt from shooting you in the head, declaring it a suicide, and taking your place?" he asked, jabbing the uneaten half of a biscuit at her navel. "More importantly, do you think a grunt could do the same thing with a poorly trained Zubat and Skunky?"

She tilted her head. "That's… wow. I never thought of that. I have to tell our magnificent leader and recall the munitions we distributed en masse."

"All criminal organisations would do well to use Pokémon instead of guns," Manny continued, devouring the other half of the biscuit. "Not only would there be more order among the ranks, they could simply become Pokémon Trainers if the life of crime doesn't work out for them."

"Well, then," Mars said, putting away the submachine gun she had until recently aimed at Manny and Hanny, "shall we have one of these so-called Pokémon battles?"

"Oh yes, let's hurry; I've run out of biscuits."

After witnessing the grown woman's Pokémon receive a sound beating at the paws of the boy's Pokémon, the old Galactic scientist admonished Mars in a completely deadpan tone.

"My, my. Lose to a child, will you? But, no matter. We've collected plenty of electricity. With the power we obtained, we can do something quite spectacular. It seems quite obvious to me, Charon, the genius even the boss recognises."

"_Who is that sycophantic old man,_" Manny wondered silently, "_and why does he speak in third person?_"

"Now, Mars, we should be going."

Mars rounded on the old fellow.

"Will you SHUT IT! The boss is the only person in the world who's allowed to order me around!"

Charon leered. "Considering your loud 'conversation' with him last night, I have no doubt, Mars."

Mars's face turned redder than her hair. She barked an order at her peons, retreating with them. Charon inclined his head to the stripling Trainers.

"You will not stop me. Give up now."

Hanny shook her head. "No."

He gave the slightest shrug, leaving unhurriedly, following Mars and her cronies. Manny searched his backpack for more snacks.

"Why did we come here again?" he said, despairing at his severe lack of sweets.

"I think we came to save this scientist. Oh look, his daughter's coming this way."

"Papa!"

The little girl pounced on her daddy, who squeezed back just as hard. His joyous expression was quickly replaced by a serious demeanor when he considered the Trainers before him.

"Team Galactic… they were saying they had to gather Pokémon and energy at all costs. It was for creating a new universe, or so they claimed."

"They have high hopes," Manny noted.

Hanny punched her open palm. "Too bad we're gonna crush 'em."

The scientist bowed. "Thank you so much for getting rid of them, I'm very grateful. I can finally be with my little daughter again!"

Speaking of whom, his daughter was now scrunching up her nose. "Yuck! Papa, you're stinky! Go shower now, stinky!"

"Ah, heh," the bedraggled scientist laughed nervously, "they had me working nonstop."

"Thank you, Trainers! You made those bad people go away!" The little girl beamed so brightly that Manny and Hanny felt embarrassed. "Maybe the balloon Pokémon will come visiting again!"

Hanny perked up at once. "Balloon Pokémon? You mean Jigglypuff?"

The scientist checked with his daughter, who shook her head. "Nnnno, that doesn't sound right. It only shows up here on Fridays."

"I will be back here on Friday, then," Hannah affirmed, adding the reminder to her cell phone calendar. "Now, then, since you're so grateful, will you buy us more honey, biscuits, and _real_ butter; not that margarine crud?"

"Of course. Meet me in Floaroma Town in the next hour; I'm going home to freshen up and find my checkbook. Come along, sweetie."

The girl held her Papa's hand tight even though he was stinky. "Yes, Papa."

Manny and Hanny went before them, stepping outside the Windworks only to be confronted by their very own stalker.

"Oh Lord, it's him again!" Manny moaned.

Looker almost salivated, wringing his hands together in expectation. "Ah, yes. It is you, yes."

Hanny stood with arms akimbo. "Do you even know our names?"

"I have heard that the Team Galactic appeared at this power plant. I have, therefore, come running. So, the Team Galactic. Where are they?" he insisted. After rolling their eyes, the Trainers recounted the last ten minutes. Looker's dark eyes flashed with fanatical fervor.

"Very well! I shall go investigate inside!"

He charged past them into the Windworks, accosting the fatigued scientist and interrogating his daughter, who began to cry. Moments later he burst outside, nodding like a piston.

"MAGNIFICENT! Yes, it is! What you have said, it is all true! Superb! Though you are young, you are Trainers, through and through!"

"Will you let us go now, creepy detective guy?" Manny begged.

"Very well! I shall pursue the culprits! I have received tips that the Team Galactic hideout is in Eterna City. To there, I must be off!"

Like a bad case of gas, he was gone in an instant, leaving behind a feeling of desperation and embarrassment.

Hanny consoled the offended scientist and his wailing daughter. "We're sorry you got involved in this; he stalks us all the time. We can't shake him."

"Shhh, it's alright, sweetie," the scientist soothed his child. He sighed. "It's okay; I'd choose crazy people over Team Galactic any day of the week."

An hour later, after loading their respective backpacks to the brim with honey, real butter, cornbread, and biscuits, Manny and Hanny thanked the unnamed, freshly scrubbed scientist, waved goodbye to his equally nameless daughter (who was stuffing her face with the scrumptious snack), then went north into Eterna Forest.


	6. Chapter 6: Eterna Forest

A familiar face greeted them at the entrance.

"Cheryl!"

"Hanny!"

They embraced.

"How's my little Turtwig doing?"

"I named him Orric. He kicked so many butts!"

"That's wonderful. Say, can you and your boyfriend…"

"He's NOT my boyfriend!" Hanny protested.

"Oops! Well, can you two escort me through Eterna Forest? I'm afraid of running into Team Galactic; I heard they're stealing Trainers's Pokémon!"

Manny grimaced. "That's stupid! The Pokémon would never obey them. Wouldn't it be much easier to capture the Pokémon themselves?"

"This reeks of Team Rocket, but they only operate in Kanto and Johto," Hanny said, "so I doubt the Teams are connected."

"Well, what do you say? Will you help me?"

"Sure, we'll protect you," Hanny agreed, "But if you call him my boyfriend one more time, I'm going to tie you up and mail you to Team Galactic HQ in Eterna City."

"I'll keep your Pokémon in perfect health!" Cheryl promised with a nervous giggle. Hanny did not seem amused in the slightest, but summoned Zeke, climbed onto his back and took point. Manny tried to do likewise with his fiery mare, but fell off, so Hanny had to spend the next half hour instructing him on how to mount and dismount bareback without injury.

"Grip with your thighs, not just your hands! Grip. With. Your. Thighs!"

She smacked Ponyta's butt, sending the horse running, but Manny fell on his butt instead.

"You aren't gripping. Furthermore, you didn't even buy reins or a bridle for your Ponyta, and you want to RIDE her?"

Hanny smacked the back of his head.

"Look, I bought a spare in case Zeke broke his, so you can use it until you buy your own."

Manny rubbed his head, face beet red. "Can't I just pay you back?"

"No. I'm emotionally attached to the first bridles I ever bought for my first ever Ponyta."

Manny eventually learned to use his thighs and released his deathgrip on his poor Ponyta's neck. Now both on horseback, the Trainers burned through all the Bug-type Pokémon in their way, not bothering to capture any of them, because the experience it afforded their Pokémon was too good. Cheryl and her Chansey followed behind, doing nothing but heal the Ponyta after each battle.

Manny caught a Bidoof. Dismounting, he retrieved her Pokéball. He taught her the HM Rock Smash.

"This Bidoof is now my HM slave."

Hanny scoffed at the bucktoothed beaver.

"Bidoof look so derpy. I plan to teach my battlers all the HM moves."

"They won't be able to remember all the HM moves _and_ their main attack moves!"

"What do you mean?"

"Pokémon can only remember four moves."

Hannah and Cheryl stared at the boy.

"Who told you that?" Cheryl asked.

"It said so on the Internet!"

"Do you think Orric or your Turtwig will ever be able to forget how to use 'Withdraw'?" Cheryl asked. "That's like a human being forgetting how to duck for cover!"

"Um, yes? When my Turtwig learns better moves, I'll make room by having him forget how to use 'Withdraw'!"

Hanny shook her head. "Manny, unlike you, Pokémon aren't retarded. They can remember way more than four moves."

"But Hanny, the Internet said…"

"The Internet also said that FabuLance is gay."

Manny's face turned brick red.

"Filthy lies! Just because he has that nickname doesn't mean…"

Hannah stopped him with upheld hand. "I rest my case."

Muttering under his breath about something called '_4chan_', Manny trotted onward awhile before stopping.

"How do you know that I idolise Lance?"

"I _Googled_ your name right after meeting you. All I had to do was include TwinLeaf and Mint in the search. I found your _LiveJournal_, which is viewable by the public; bad decision on your part. You have, like, a hundred pictures of Lance gathered from newsclippings and the FabuLance _LJ_ Community."

Manny kept his peace, making a mental note that Hanny was a spy.

Among other Pokémon, Hanny caught a Hoothoot.

"I shall name him Wise Shitashi!"

"That can't fit in the name window!" Cheryl reminded her.

"Fine! He will be known as Shitashi, but to me, he will always be Wise Shitashi; Devourer of Souls!"

After several hours of healing the warriors, Cheryl and Chansey were tired.

"Are we anywhere near the exit yet?" Cheryl sighed. "I do believe we're going in circles!"

"Hanny, do you think our Ponyta are strong enough yet?"

"I don't think so, Manny, we could be here all night."

Cheryl pressed her hands together. "But I just wanted to get through the forest…"

"You will continue healing our Pokémon until we think they're strong enough to take on the next Gym Leader," Manny said, "unless you feel like paying a visit to a certain HQ in Eterna…"

Cheryl gave a nervous giggle again, looking between the two, hoping for any sign that this was all a joke. As the moments passed beneath their stony stares, it dawned upon her innocent mind that these Trainers were, indeed, extorting her.

"Okay, okay! Just don't leave me here!" Cheryl cried. Even her Chansey was crying. "Despite the fact that I am ten years older than you and have much more experience, I only carry around one weak Pokémon who can barely hold its own against wild Pokémon!"

"I'm glad you see it our way, Cheryl," Hanny said.

By the time they left the forest the next morning, both of their Turtwig had evolved into Grotle, their Ponyta had both learned how to use Flame Wheel, both their Shinx had evolved into Luxio, Hanny's Hoothoot had evolved into Noctowl, Manny's Keira was now a Staravia, and his Abra, a Kadabra. Most importantly, his Bidoof evolved into Bibarel, cementing her position as Manny's HM slave. She didn't _seem_ to mind, but she could have been thinking of anything behind those beady little eyes.

Hanny waved as they left the exhausted woman and Chansey at the exit. "Thank you for your cooperation, Cheryl. I'll put in a good word for you with my parents."

"We and our Pokémon thank you. We shall destroy the next Gym Leader in your honour," Manny promised.

"Ten-year-olds are scary, abusive people," Cheryl moaned, collapsing beside her unconscious Chansey.


	7. Chapter 7: Eterna City and Underground

Eterna City was known as the city that did not change, and apparently, neither did its residents. Everywhere there were old people offering them gifts. There was not a middle-aged person or child to be found. A crowd of senior citizens crowded the ten-year-olds as they entered the city.

A hunchbacked granny pushed a compact disc into Manny's hand. "Here, young man, have this Technical Machine!"

The boy was walking with his legs spread wide apart, wincing. "Uh… thanks? Augh, my legs and thighs are so SORE! Hanny, how come you're not sore?"

"I grew up in Solaceon Town. I learned to ride before I learned to walk."

A man as old as the mountains shoved two rucksacks into Hanny's arms. "Take this Explorer Kit, and here's one for your gentleman friend."

"Are these for digging in the Underground, just like the commercials on TV say?" Hanny asked, eyes bright with anticipation.

The man as old as mountains laughed until he coughed. "They sure are. All you have to do is dig a hole and you're there!"

Hannah shook Manny's arm. "You have to come with me. The Underground is awesome!"

Another elderly resident protested, "But you've just arrived! Surely you can stay awhile? We'll give you more free stuff if you do!"

Manny frowned. The quietness was getting to him. This city was devoid of industry. There was no construction work, or public transportation, or chattering people walking with their cellphones. Just these elders existed, crowding them. "Why is everyone old here? Did all your kids and grandkids abandon you?"

"A long time ago – they don't remember how long – the children of Eterna City made the Gym Leader mad," the man as old as mountains said, a note of fear creeping into his voice as every aged person turned their eyes to the Gym in question. "She was the oldest person in the city, and these good people were all kids back then. They did all sorts of nasty things to her Pokémon Gym, defiling its walls with graffiti and killing its plants. She prayed to Shaymin, and they were all cursed with eternal life."

"We couldn't have children, and we couldn't die. The other cities and towns in this region exiled us all in this very city," a thin wilting woman said. "They knew we were cursed."

"These people are forbidden to wander outside of its streets," the man old as mountains explained, "so they play in the Underground. The more children who wander into this city, the more friends they have to play with."

"You keep saying 'these' people and 'they'. Who are you?" Manny asked.

"I'm Gym Leader Roark's grandfather. Gym Leader Byron is my son. I'm an archaeologist and a historian. They call me the Underground Man because I rediscovered it and was its first modern pioneer. Before I was even married, I moved here to study the Eterna Curse, but have yet to find a solution."

The wilting woman smiled. "We love him like our own child."

"We're going into the Underground RIGHT NOW, Manny," Hanny said, hefting her pickaxe. "You should all be ashamed of lying to us," she wagged a finger at the old people. "Nobody in Sinnoh would ever place a curse on someone."

The Underground Man gave a wry, snaggletoothed smile. "You're both too young to know the true face of Sinnoh. Soon, very soon, there will be no more mirrors."

Someone in the back piped up: "Cyrus will free us."

"Who is Cy-" Manny began, but Hanny dragged him into the pit she'd just opened in the ground. The old folks broke out their own pickaxes and, within seconds, Eterna City was empty but for the wind.

888

It took a few minutes for Manny's eyes to adjust. The smell of damp soil filled his head. He coughed a few times.

"You get used to it," the Underground Man said. The residents of Eterna City had followed the children to the Underground. They were all visibly happier, as though someone had lit a candle in their dark spirits.

"So, old timer, what's your real name?" Hannah asked.

"I honestly don't remember. I've been called 'The Underground Man' since I was a youngster. My wife calls me 'Hubby'; Byron calls me 'Dad'; Roark calls me 'Gramps'."

"Your nickname has too many syllables. How about I call you 'Eugene' instead?" Hanny offered, also coughing to help her lungs adjust to the damp. Eugene gave her the broadest snaggletoothed smile ever.

"I like it. I really do."

"Old people aren't Pokémon, Hanny, you can't nickname them!" Manny objected.

"Oooh! Do me next!" the hunchbacked, TM-distributing granny waved her arms.

"I'll call you 'Abelo'. It means 'free gift'."

"Eeeee!" Abelo squealed in delight, "I have a name again!"

"Oh for goodness's sake," Manny rolled his eyes, turning on his heel, leaving Hanny to name her new friends.

_THUD!_

"MINT used RETURN! Hi Manny!"

"From one crazy person to another. What're you doing down here, Mint? And turn that off!"

The blonde kid was wearing a miner's hardhat with a mounted light, which was currently blinding Manny. Mint switched it off.

"Woops, sorry. But you really need one of these; it's dark down here. No wonder you crashed into me!"

"But you were the one who…" Manny began to say, but shook his head. "Look, can you show me what I'm supposed to do down here?"

"Oh sure, it's really easy. First you have to dig spheres out of the walls, like so," Mint demonstrated, smashing the wall next to him with a hammer. The wall partially collapsed. He switched his hardhat light back on, revealing a small red sphere and a large green sphere halfway embedded in that wall. He freed them with a few expert taps of his mining pick. "The spheres are like money down here. You bury them in the ground, leave them alone for awhile, and they get bigger."

"Spheres that magically growing bigger if you bury them. Makes no sense, but carry on."

"Spheres aren't the only things you can find in the walls, though. You can find coloured plates that boost the elemental power of your Pokémon, evolution stones, coloured shards and heart scales that a couple of kooks in the Overworld collect…"

"'Overworld'?"

Mint twirled his pickaxe. "Heh, it's what the old people call the world above us. Anyway, you can also carve out a secret base in the Underground, then go around capturing the flags of other secret bases if you can find them!"

Manny gawked. "No way. My very own secret base? Like a superhero?"

Mint grinned. _Finally_, he had something awesome to share with his best friend. "Uh huh. Wanna see mine?"

They lost all track of time. Hanny found them sometime later, and she showed Manny even more things that they could do in the Underground, like set traps for people that included spinning them around, confusing, or even setting them on fire, just like in a Pokémon battle.

"I can set people on fire _without_ consequences? Awesome!" Manny shouted.

"Yup. Now lemme show you how to dig out stuff without bringing down the whole wall on top of you," Hanny said. "If you _do _bury yourself, I'll take whatever treasures you unearthed and report you as 'missing' to our nonexistent police force in the Overworld."

Apart from the elders of Eterna City, the three children encountered many other children, even children from other regions exploring the Underground. They spent their time looking for each other's bases, setting each other on fire, dousing others with water, entangling a few with plant roots, and laying other traps that weren't meant for human – much less children's – use.

All of the children quickly learned that the elders of Eterna City were absolute masters of their domain, capable of laying down a Machiavellian gauntlet of traps, while carving out hidden bases so obscure, even the owners forgot their locations.

The children buried spheres and reaped huge spherical harvests, using the bounty of the Earth to buy decorations for their bases, more traps and other accoutrements not found in the Overworld. They purchased these items from adult storeowners who had found a thriving profit margin where the sun did not shine.

Thus, the children mined fossils, precious minerals and a treasure trove of other valuable objects out of the Underground's laden walls. They played games, captured flags, told stories and ate meals by campfire, slept in makeshift tents, and did it all over again when they awoke. The new generation made the Underground their own.

But most blissful of all, there was not a single parent or Pokémon, not one patch of tall grass, swamp, hill, or body of open water to bother them.

Time passed in their Underground paradise.

888

One day (or was it night?) Mint captured his fiftieth base flag. He ran cackling from the luckless Johto Trainer, who gave pursuit but was caught in one of Mint's fire traps. While the Johto Trainer tried to blow out the flames engulfing her body, Mint planted his trophy inside his base.

"I am king of the hill! Well, hole."

He spent the rest of that day (night?) bragging. The Underground Man, a.k.a. Eugene, awarded Mint the Platinum Flag decoration for his base. Hannah, Manny and a large crowd of Undergrounders (including the charred Johto Trainer) assembled for the ceremony.

"This is the highest honour afforded in the Underground. Your exploits shall serve as an inspiration to all future Underground generations."

When Mint and company returned to his base to display his prestigious award, there was a fat man dressed in a black tuxedo sitting on Mint's favourite Chimchar cushion. A tuxedoed Alakazam sat on a Turtwig cushion beside the corpulent character. The Pokémon was far handsomer.

"Hey, little man!" the human nodded by way of greeting to Mint. "Good job on getting that Platinum Flag. Most Trainers lose interest after the tenth flag or so. Anyway, on to business: your Blue Rank Trainer Card is ready."

He reached inside his jacket, producing an ocean blue card bearing a mugshot of Mint. Mint did not remember taking any such picture. "Please surrender your red Trainer Card."

Mint looked between his two friends, who shrugged. "I'm sorry, who are you?" he asked the base invader.

"Alakazam?" the sizeable stranger gestured to the Psychic-type Pokémon. The dashing Pokémon looked at Mint. The boy's red Trainer Card whizzed out of his pocket and into the fat man's hands.

Mint watched his precious identity get torn to shreds. "HEY! What'd you do that for?"

In response, the handsome Alakazam looked at the blue card. It zoomed into Mint's open palms. It seemed authentic; his photograph and personal data were intact. However, he and his friends scrutinised the shining gold star embedded on the top-right corner of the card. It was holographic, reflecting light differently depending on its angle.

"You are now a Blue Rank Trainer. That solitary gold star is proof of your accomplishment here in the Underground. Alakazam, let's go."

The fat man and his Pokémon disappeared in a bright blue flash.

"Who was that fat man and dapper Alakazam?" Hannah wondered.

"Must be another crazy agent like Looker," Manny surmised.

"Wow, I love my new Trainer Card!" Mint cooed, stroking its edges.

A few weeks later, Manny was awarded a Platinum Flag for his persistence.

The fat man and his well-groomed Alakazam appeared in Manny's base, sitting on Manny's favourite cushions. "I should have introduced myself last time: my codename is Agent Bob, and this is my Alakazam. We work for a worldwide organisation, called 'Constellation', which monitors the achievements of each Pokémon Trainer on Earth."

"Why do you give away new cards with stars?" Manny asked.

"Constellation developed the 'Star Card' programme, which is a reward system for the best of the best. Trainers who display a Blue Rank card are afforded free use of all Pokémon Centres – forever. You won't appreciate it now, but when you pass the age of thirteen, you will."

Hannah folded her arms. "Thanks to their stupendous intellects, I doubt that Manny or Mint will survive another three years."

Mint winced. "That's harsh, Hanny. We both know you just want our treasure!"

Hannah snarled, curling one of her hands like a hook. She closed one eye and chased Mint around the room with her hook-hand. "Arr, matey! I'm a land pirate!" She captured Mint, trussed him up with her safety rope and sat on top of him while he complained.

Meanwhile, Manny presented his red Trainer Card. Bob tore up the red one, handed over the blue, and teleported out with Alakazam.

Manny confronted Hanny, who was threatening Mint with an imaginary cutlass. "Hannah, you've gotta capture fifty flags, too. Imagine all the money you'll save when you're older."

"Unlike you cretins, I plan to actually _do_ something with my life other than raise Pokémon," she sneered.

"I don't!" Mint said, wriggling against her rope bindings.

"You'll be Gible bait, landlubber!" she snarled, poking his eye with her hook-hand.

"Ow! Quit it!"

Manny didn't get the joke. "Why can't he be Sharpedo bait instead?"

"Gible's the closest thing we have to a land-shark. I intend to feed Mint to one as soon as he turns his back."

Despite her words, Hannah could not resist the thrill of stealing another person's property, and had her own Platinum Flag less than a month later. The rotund rascal had Alakazam steal her card before she could protest, and left her shiny new blue Star Card in her hands before teleporting.

"Why is there room on the card for _four more_ stars?" she asked the boys, who had no clue.

More time passed in their Underground paradise.


	8. Chapter 8: Eterna Gym

"Agh, too bright!" Manny complained when he climbed out of the ground. The sun's golden fingers poked him viciously in the eyes. Squinting, he pulled up Hanny out, who pulled Mint out next. The Eterna City residents, not acting their age in the slightest, sprung out of the ground like Digletts.

"Wow, is it Spring already?" the Underground Man remarked, shading his eyes against the burning day-star. Green leaves coloured the resurrected trees, and everywhere was the sound of Starly chirping. Blinking, Manny turned on his cell phone which he had neglected all this time.

"He's not kidding. It was the middle of January when we went Underground; now it's the beginning of April! Also, I have fifty-seven voice mails and two-hundred and thirty-six text messages. They're all from Mom."

He read through a few of the texts.

_"'Manny, where are you? Come home'.; 'Manny, I miss you so much, where have you gone?'; 'Manny, why aren't you answering your phone?'; 'Manny, don't you remember your mother?'"_

Silently, Hanny and Mint checked their cell phones. Their eyes dilated until you could see the whites all around the irises.

"We forgot to tell our parents where we were!" Hanny choked. "One of these text messages says that I've been declared legally dead!"

"Oh no, I forgot to tell Mom to tape the new season of _Heroes!_" Mint cried. The three of them immediately dialed their respective parents. A few minutes passed, consisting of shouting, crying, and threats from the other end of the line. Manny, Hanny and Mint ended the conversations with grimaces on their faces.

"My parents are coming over, like, _right now_ to pick me up," Hanny said, looking as though she had swallowed her tongue.

Manny moaned, attempting to tear out his hair. "My Mom is gonna gut me like a Magikarp!"

Mint scratched the back of his head, his face dark red with shame. "My Mom told me I'm just like my Dad and hung up on me."

Manny failed at self-induced baldness, so he flumped on the ground instead. Minutes later he heard the sound of vast, beating wings. He turned his head, and there was a Tropius the size of a helicopter carrying a man on his back. Joining him was a woman, riding a Dragonite that could peek into the second floor of a building. The giants landed quite near, knocking Mint off his feet.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad," Hanny greeted them as though she were announcing a death in the family.

"Hannah, you are banned from turning off your cell phone from now on," her mother declared. "I swear, we must have searched everywhere from Snowpoint to Canalave to Sunyshore City!"

Her father threw up his hands in exasperation. "We checked every town and Gym in the region, but only Roark had seen you and that boy Rowan sent you with. We were desperate enough to ask Aaron if, by chance, he had seen a couple of kids wandering around, but he said nobody could enter Victory Road with just one badge."

Mint gawped, jaw buried in the ground. "_THE_ Aaron?"

"He's a friend of the family," Hanny murmured, scuffing her toes while looking everywhere but at her parents.

Her mother heaved a loud sigh, kneeling to embrace her daughter, who returned the intimate gesture halfheartedly. "You are only ten years old, for goodness's sake, Hanny, we were so worried about you!"

Hannah took a deep breath. "I expect I'm grounded for several years."

"Quite the opposite! Now that we've found you, we can declare you _not_ dead, remove your 'Missing' posters from all the milk cartons, and finally go on a vacation by ourselves," her father said in a much cheerier mood.

Hanny sputtered. "What, was the second honeymoon a business trip?"

Her mother chuckled, standing beside her husband and patting Hanny's head. "No, we just _really_ like the idea of finally having time to ourselves after ten years of raising you."

Her father also patted Hanny's head. "Don't worry; you have your Pokémon to take care of you now. You don't need us anymore."

"Are you nuts? I'm TEN YEARS OLD!" Hanny yelled.

Her father gestured at Manny and Mint who raised their eyebrows. "But you made friends with these two guys. Isn't it some kind of rule that you travel together in a group, going on all sorts of adventures, thus achieving maturity together?"

Hanny flailed her arms. "_Maturity?_ I'm still in primary school!"

Her father guffawed. "You're excused from school if you choose to raise Pokémon, so say goodbye to all the friends you made since infancy!"

Her mother interrupted, grabbing her father's arm. "Look, just keep your phone on so we know that you're still breathing." She turned to her husband. "Come on, hun, the Resort said they have a discount for when we return!"

She flounced onto her huge Dragonite. The father scrambled onto the enormous Tropius's back, and the two lifted off towards the east.

"Does this mean you're an orphan now?" Mint asked Hanny. She bopped him on the head before stomping southward to the city's Gym.

The Underground Man waved goodbye. "You kids come back anytime you want, you hear?"

He cackled as Manny and Mint followed Hannah in numb silence.

888

Upon entering Eterna Gym, the Trainers felt as though they were back in Floaroma Town. Instead of a cold hard floor, there was lush green grass speckled with a rainbow of flowers and fanciful water fountains. Hanny charged past the entrance but an oddly dressed man blocked her way. He had curly brown hair, a moustache, wore sunglasses, a purple shirt, tan vest and brown slacks.

"Hi Hanny!" he greeted her with an uncomfortable level of familiarity.

"Wha! How do you know my name, and why are you barefoot?"

"The grass is good for walking on. I see that you've brought Manny and Mint with you. One of you is a Champ in training!"

She waved a Pokéball menacingly under the stranger's moustache. "No seriously, how do you know our names? Do I have to sic Orric on you?"

The man backed off, holding up his hands in surrender. "I am required by law to inform you that I have six restraining orders placed upon me, but really, I just want to help Trainers like you."

Hanny lowered her attack turtle. "I'm going to take that with a barrel of salt. Who were you stalking?"

The odd man counted fingers. "The current Pokémon Champions of the Kanto, Johto and Hoenn regions, and their rivals. One pair per region. I have a sixth sense, you see…"

Manny rolled his eyes. "And next you shall be asking us to ride in your candy-van."

Mint raised his hand. "Ooooh! I call dibs on the candy!"

The stranger held out his hands in supplication. "Please hear me out. I get a _feeling _from Trainers like you." He pointed at the boys. "I can sense that Manny and Mint are rivals, but you…" he pointed at Hanny, "…are just tagging along. By my brilliant deduction, either Manny or Mint will be the next Pokémon Champion."

She laughed at the stranger. "You're loony. This blockhead," she ribbed Manny, "didn't even know how to catch Pokémon when I met him, and Mint is so slow that he's going backwards."

"Soon I shall regress into a fetus, then disappear altogether!" Mint said with big, sad eyes.

The stranger shook his head, then lifted an all-knowing index finger. "Well, I was proven right the last three times. This Gym Leader uses…"

Hanny heaved a loud sigh, scuffing her shoes with impatience. "Grass and Poison type Pokémon."

The man was left with his finger in the air. "Oh hey, you must have read her _Facebook_. But I'm sure that you don't know her weaknesses…"

"Fire, Ice, Poison, Flying and Bug against Grass types, and Ground and Psychic for Poison," Manny rattled off the list without thinking twice. "Do you also want to know what's ineffective against those types, or shall I save that lecture for later?"

The man visibly crumpled into his tacky purple shirt. "Oh fine. Don't bother with useless old me. It's not like I singlehandedly raised three Champions, or anything. I'll be here, waiting for your inevitable victory, O Great Ones," he groused, but stood aside.

"The only things you're capable of raising are eyebrows and blood pressure," Hanny shot back while she entered the Gym proper. Manny followed her.

Mint tarried with the stalker. He cupped his hands over his mouth to whisper.

"Hanny and Manny are _really_ mean. Manny wasn't always that way! I think Hanny's making him _worse. _We all just got into a _lot_ of trouble with our parents, so just ignore them." He smiled. "You remind me of Dad; he helps Trainers, too, except he dresses better and doesn't smell like desperation!"

The man's countenance brightened. He gave the thumbs-up to Mint, who discretely returned the signal before chasing after his _really_ mean friends.

888

"What is this thing?" Manny demanded of a nearby Gym Trainer. The Centre of the Gym was dominated by a huge circular pit in which lay a gigantic metallic flower with two glossy green leaves big enough to stand on.

"That's our flower clock. When you defeat a Gym Trainer, like me, the 'hands' of the clock change time, so that you may walk over them to the next Trainer."

Hanny raised an eyebrow. "That is the most convoluted and unnecessary puzzle I have ever encountered in my life. Did you people consider a simple corridor lined with Trainers who attack you one after the other?"

The Gym Trainer opened her mouth, shut it again, then scratched her head. "Ummm… Gardenia's kind of weird. But you have to admit, it's pretty, and leaves a good first impression!"

Manny nodded. "Granted, it is a unique puzzle, way more interesting than teleportation devices and far more direct." He sighed. He didn't like playing games in real life... games were for consoles and the Internet. "Okay, I'll bite. You would be the first Trainer, correct?"

"That's right!" the girl said and her smile beamed like sunlight, relieved to be in familiar territory once more. "My Pokémon are the doormats of this Gym!"

A vein twitched on Hannah's forehead. "That's incredibly denigrating _to_ _your own_ _Pokémon_, but I understand; your lack of confidence will soon be justified. Zeke, go!"

"Oh, fiddlesticks," the Gym Trainer's face fell right to the floor when Hannah's Ponyta flared into existence. "I think Roark breeds Ponyta just to spite us!"

Manny chuckled. "So HE'S responsible for the wild Ponyta north of Oreburgh! Now we know why his own Pokémon are so weak; he's busy counteracting YOURS!"

Zeke, Manny's Ponyta and Mint's Monferno blazed a path through the Gym, the three Trainers hopping across the flower clock after each Gym Trainer.

"I wonder..." Mint said.

"Oh no, Mint is having a thought!" Hanny said, holding up her hands in mock terror.

"…I wonder what our Pokémon think when they're fighting?"

Pokémon have language. Humans just hear them repeating their name. Whenever Manny summoned his Ponyta, she would rear up on her powerful hindlegs, her eyes burning, and declare with a mighty neigh, "I, PONYTA, WILL KNOCK YOU ALL DOWN!" Zeke was nowhere near that villainous and just gave a stoic grunt, wishing his opponent, "Good luck. May the best win!" Mint's Monferno yelled, "FINLAND!" despite the fact that Finland was over 7,500 kilometres away.

They encountered Gardenia at last. She was a pretty redhead decked in green and tan clothing; the colours of the Earth.

"Gardenia, did you really place a curse upon the people of Eterna?" Hanny asked.

Manny snorted. "You don't actually believe that-"

"First of all, _good morning, my name is Gardenia, I'm the leader of this gym!_" she glared at them. They were nonplussed. She sighed. "Secondly, I didn't do that; Shaymin did. I merely asked for justice, and she delivered. I have been here for hundreds of years, watching over the beautiful plants of my Gym and the forest, waiting for an apology."

She said it in such a calm, matter-of-fact tone that Manny almost believed her.

"You want an _apology_ from the people of Eterna? That's _it?_" Mint said with perfect incredulity. "They didn't say anything about that!"

Gardenia shrugged. "No, they didn't, because they think that Shaymin's curse is unfair. They are _still_ children, remember?"

Hannah cleared her throat, Zeke's ball already in hand. "I'll talk to them. For now, your Gym badge, please."

"You're just a little girl. Roserade and I have been here before your greatest grandparents were born!"

"Don't patronise me because some vengeful god decided to give you eternal youth. You're just a nasty old woman who holds grudges against LITTLE KIDS!"

"Well, I never! Roserade, go!"

He went, but was knocked down by Zeke's Flame Wheel.

"I can't believe this. Why, after all these centuries, isn't he stronger?"

"Pokémon mirror their Trainers. Your spirit died ages ago, so he hasn't grown stronger since. My spirit is alive and well–"

"That is _enough,_" Manny cut in. "I have had it with these monkey-fighting myths in this Monday-to-Friday Gym! Gardenia, accept my Gym challenge!"

"You'll have to start all over from the entrance, little boy."

Manny put on his best smug face. "Like Hanny, I am going to use one Pokémon, no substitutes. Or are you saying your Roserade can't take on one little boy and his Pokémon?"

Gardenia's face reddened like a rose in full bloom. She fed her Roserade a Max Revive only to have him knocked down by Staravia's Wing Attack. The Gym Leader stomped her foot, her face an even angrier rose red.

"Get out! Get out of my Gym!"

"Wait! It's my turn now!" Mint raised his hand.

"I don't care! Get out!"

Mint tried to put on a smug face, but only managed to leer. "I'll finish Roserade with one attack! If Roserade can survive that, you win!"

Gardenia took a deep breath that shivered her from head to toe in barely suppressed rage.

"One attack!" she shrieked, using another Max Revive spray. "If Roserade still stands, NONE of you get my Gym badge! EVER!"

"We accept!" Mint crowed, punching the air.

"No we DON'T…" Manny and Hanny began to protest, but Mint overrode them with a loud, almost hysterical command: "MONFERNO, use BLAZE KICK!"

"GREAT GOOGLY MOOGLY!" everyone else yelled as Roserade was kicked clear out of the Gym and into low orbit while on fire.

Mint grinned so broadly that his gums showed. "My Monferno's daddy was a Blaziken! Isn't that AWESOME?"

Manny gaped at the hole in the roof. "You mean it knew that move when it was a CHIMCHAR?"

"Uh huh! Pokémon aren't born from spontaneous combustion, ya know! They have Mommies and Daddies just like us!"

"I can't BELIEVE IT!" Gardenia reared back her arm and threw: a Forest Badge smashed into each Trainer's forehead.

"Ow!"

"Ow!"

"Ow!"

"_GET. OUT!_"

The kids beat an expeditious retreat.

"You know what? I think she was lying about that apology nonsense," Hanny told the two boys. "The Eterna people are really nice! They apologised every time they caught us in their traps in the Underground, remember?"

"Yeah, they must have set me on fire a billion times," Mint giggled self-consciously, "but yeah, they always said sorry afterward."

"I guess we have to find Shaymin, and make her fix this whole mess." Hanny and Mint stared at Manny because _he_ had offered the suggestion. Manny cocked his thumb over his shoulder. "There, are you satisfied? _Now_ can we go to the next city?"

"Yeah we can, except you two need bikes to get there. Let's go to the bike shop down the road," Hanny told them, and walked off without bothering to wait for acknowledgement. They were, after all, her clueless minions.


	9. Chapter 9: Bike Shop and Galactic HQ

They experienced a critical failure at the bike shop: no manager, whom the sign outside the shop claimed was Rad Rickshaw. There was, however, a pimply-faced intern sweeping the floor.

Hanny pointed at the bike rack. "You will sell us two bikes. Now."

Manny and Mint were ogling the bikes like Houndoom in a meat shop. There is something primordial between a boy and his first bike. It is a mystical connection that transcends person, place and time.

"Hanny, how come you don't want a bike?" Mint asked in the same incredulous tone he would ask why she refused the sweet breath of life.

"I have a Ponyta. Manny has one, too, but his thighs are so sore from riding that he can barely stand."

"Huh! I was wondering why he was walking like he badly needed to use the bathroom."

"I can't sell you any bikes," the intern said in a screechy not-quite-teenager voice. "Rad has the keys."

Hanny had Orric bite the shiny stainless steel lock and chains that bound the anti-walking machines, to no avail.

"Hey, you're not supposed to do that!" the intern whined.

Hanny threw up her arms, turning a shade of purple that made the intern quail. "Where's Rad?"

"He went to the Team Galactic building with some woman with crazy hair. And I mean _crazy…"_

He was ignored. The three of them went out the door, the girl dragging the two boys who complained that they hadn't gotten a chance to sit on the awesome bikes.

On their way, Mint remembered something. "Manny, Hanny, you've gotta come with me and see the Pokémon statue!"

Without waiting for their inevitably snide remarks, he grabbed both of them and dragged them halfway across the city to the towering statue of a legendary dragon Pokémon.

"My Dad brought me here once. My Mom got so mad at him for taking me out of the house without her permission! He said the name of this Pokémon is 'Porcupine'."

"That doesn't sound…"

Mint grabbed Manny in a headlock. "Listen Manny, my Dad is the smartest Trainer on the planet and the strongest one too; he KNOWS this stuff and you don't, okay?" Mint said in a huff, squeezing his prisoner's neck.

Manny spoke in a tortured voice. "Yes _sir_. Do you have any other gems of wisdom for us lowly Trainers?"

"Yes! Dad told me that the best way to win Pokémon battles is to make certain all your attacks hit! Avoid enemy attacks for sure!"

"Truly, your father is an endless font of wisdom and knowledge," Hanny said.

"You got that right. Hey Manny, isn't that the same blue-haired guy we saw at Lake Verity?"

"So…" the man in question was talking to the statue, "this is Eterna's Pokémon statue…"

He ruminated for a few moments. Mint let Manny go so they could get nearer.

"Shaping our world are time and space in an intertwining spiral. Revered in Sinnoh are the Pokémon of time and space… Sinnoh's myth… Its truth needs investigation…"

He turned away from the statue, realised he was being watched, and asked the children to stand aside so that he could leave.

"That man is the master of dramatic pauses," Manny said, watching the stranger's long thin shadow move over the ground.

"Do ya think he recognised us?" Mint wondered.

Manny shrugged. "He was more polite than before."

Still, that man, whoever he was, had the same haunted look in his eyes as Charon and seemed to carry an even heavier weight on his mind. He was wearing the same clothes as at Lake Verity, with the same Team Galactic logo, so he was affiliated with the organisation. Did that mean he only wore one outfit, just like everyone else in Sinnoh? Would there ever be a day when Sinnoh would be free of its static fashion sense, where people _had _to wear the same clothes _all the time_ or _no-one _would recognise them? Deciding not to speak further, they returned to the matter at hand, walking back the way they came to Team Galactic's HQ.

888

For the umpteenth time during their adventure, the children were accosted by an adult while minding their own business. You'd think adults would have better things to do than stop strange children in the middle of the street and give them 'gifts'. This time it was a gorgeous blonde woman in black clothing. Her eyes were razor sharp and painfully alert, like platinum blades. She looked the three Trainers up, down, sideways and leftways.

"You kids could use the Hidden Machine, 'Cut'!"

"Just like that?" Manny said, trying hard not to be overawed by her presence. Looking into her eyes was like standing on the brink of a high cliff – you didn't know where you stood, and felt terribly uneasy.

"Yes. Just like this," she said, and tossed them a CD. Mint lunged forward to catch it.

"Excuse me; do any of your Pokémon know Earthquake?" Hanny asked. The woman actually blinked. It was like watching a stone wall register surprise.

"Yes."

"Could you have your Pokémon use Earthquake on the Team Galactic building?"

The woman in black raised one perfect, golden eyebrow.

"I have been monitoring them since their inception. What did they do now?"

"I strongly suspect that they've kidnapped the bike shop owner. I really need bikes for these idiots; dragging them from town to town is tiring."

"I am _not_ an idiot!" Manny whined.

"I think, therefore you _are_," Hanny replied in kind. Mint was busy examining the CD and being inattentive.

"Well, I might as well start shaking things up from now," the blonde woman shrugged, plucking a Pokéball.

"That's an awful pun," Hanny groaned.

The woman smiled. "I know. Aaron warns me not to take myself so seriously."

Hanny raised her eyebrows. "Aaron, as in _Elite Four_ Aaron?" She had suspected something about this woman…

"Don't jump to conclusions! There's more than one Aaron in the world," the woman said, but was no longer smiling. Clearing her throat, she summoned nothing less than a Garchomp. For those of you who have not met one in person, a Garchomp is a six-foot tall, blue and red death machine made entirely of claws, teeth and spikes.

"BIG land shark! So you DO know Aaron! No normal Trainer has a Garchomp!" Hanny said. The woman sighed, petting the ferocious creature who nuzzled her hand.

"Fine. Yes, I do know the Elite Four's Aaron. Me, and the few thousand _other_ Trainers who challenge the Sinnoh Pokémon League! Garchomp, use Earthquake on that building, but don't destroy it!" 

"Gar-" the enormous dragon lifted one foot to stamp the earth, "CHOMP!"

Everyone within sixty yards of the building was knocked clear off their feet - everyone but the blonde beauty. The ground continued shaking a few moments longer. It was long enough for every single Galactic goon to vacate the premises in a panic.

"Come on, Manny, I see their leader! She's with some guy who's NOT wearing their ridiculous jumpsuit!"

The three children confronted the Team Galactic commander, clad in the usual black, white, and light grey jumpsuit with the spiky gold "G" emblazoned on her breast. Her hair was a helmet cut, dyed purple with a silly bob on top and bun behind.

"Get out of the way! I am Commander Jupiter and have no intention of dying in a collapsed building with this nimrod!"

"But you kidnapped me!" the nimrod moaned, clutching a frightened Clefairy.

"Hah! I knew it!" Hanny said, blocking her escape with both hands spread wide. "That's not even a real earthquake; I had that lady's Pokémon do it."

Jupiter stared with unabashed envy and awe at the blonde's Garchomp.

"…Very well. I know when I am beaten. You can have the nimrod back, but this won't be the last you've seen of me! I'm a drug dealer in my school! I could kill you if I wanted!"

Jupiter scurried off with her jumpsuit minions. Hanny kicked the nimrod in the shin. He was too busy whimpering about how bad his day was instead of paying attention to her.

"You. Bike shop. _Now._"

She turned to the blonde beauty in black.

"I didn't catch your name…?"

"I'm Cynthia. I'm off to challenge the Sinnoh League again, but before I go, I'd like you to have this."

Out of thin air she produced a large mottled egg, handing it to Hannah.

She blinked and stuttered. "Which Pokémon is this?" she finally blurted.

Cynthia's eyes glittered. "One of my favourites. It will hatch soon."

"Okay. Thanks, I guess. Good luck with the Elite Four, Cynthia. My name's Hannah, the blonde kid's Mint and the other guy is Manny."

"I'm perfectly capable of introducing myself," said Manny. The moment Cynthia's eyes rested on him the boy got flustered, unable to form coherent sentences and blushing.

"Oh look, it talks back to me now!" Hanny said in mock surprise, placing the egg carefully inside her backpack before she shoved him, Mint and Rad down the road while waving goodbye to Cynthia. The ace Trainer produced a Pokéball, smiling with bemusement at the ragtag group of ten-year-olds herding the grown man towards his own shop.

"Let's go, Garchomp. If living in this insane, illogical world has taught me anything, it's that our fortuitous meeting today means we'll see those kids again… most likely on the field of battle."

888

"Okay, I'll give you kids a free bike for saving me and my Clefairy."

Manny and Mint were climbing all over the bikes in the display case. The intern was spraying bike chains with _WD-40_; the most perfect product created by human hands (second only to gyroscopes and video games).

"Two bikes. You will give _each_ of them a bike," Hannah told Rad in a tone that brooked no defiance.

"You'd better listen to her before she feeds you to her Grotle in pieces," Manny said, drawing a finger over his throat, arms and legs.

"But Grotle aren't… listen to me, little girl, each of those bikes costs a million Pokédollars!"

"One MILLION dollars? Are you aware that prize money for defeating the current Elite Four Champion amounts to over _twelve thousand_ Pokédollars, with which I could buy not only this store, but you and your underling?"

"I get paid minimum wage!" the underling boasted.

"Shut up, Steve. Now see here, miss, I will not stand for this!"

"Then I shall break your legs. Or would you prefer that Kipp, my Luxio, gnaw them off?"

"I'm calling the police," Rad shook his head, dialing on his cell phone.

"What police? The only officer I've encountered so far is Looker, and he's a paranoiac at best."

"You're right; I don't even have an emergency number. I should have invested in a terrifying Pokémon enforcer of my own!" Rad groaned, gripping his hair with both hands. The only thing terrifying about the Clefairy hiding behind his legs was her inadequacy.

"The laws of natural selection apply to this world. Why do you think the Elite Four keeps the peace, determine which towns have Gyms, which people are fit to lead them? They are our only form of government; a dictatorship!"

"My entire life is a pathetic tale of oppression!" Rad blubbered, waving Steve towards the boys. "I will be nothing until I am a real Pokémon Trainer, and not just some guy who caught a Clefairy because he thought it was cute!"

Hanny rubbed her paws together. "Excellent."

Steve unlocked the bike rack, causing Manny and Mint to salivate uncontrollably.

"Dibs on the red! Hey, you can't have the same colour!" Manny and Mint yelled at the same time, then fell to fisticuffs. After five minutes, four blackened eyes and a Thunder Wave courtesy of Kipp, the scrap ended. Hannah selected a matte maroon bike for Manny and a glossy ruby one for Mint.

"Will these do?" she asked, while Kipp snarled, spiky energised fur bristling.

"Bluhg," they acknowledged.

She smiled equably. "I knew you'd like them." She sprayed the pair with a Paralyse Heal. "Kipp, return." She waved goodbye. "Thank you for the bikes, sir!"

Rad was busy smacking his face into the cash register while his Clefairy watched in dismay.

Steve waved back. "You're welcome!"

Hanny mounted Zeke while her compatriots jumped on their bikes, then fell over.

"You don't know how to ride a bike?" Hannah laughed at them both. The boys turned red and made a second attempt with the same result, arms and legs tangled in the frames and wheels.

"We need to buy helmets and pads for our knees and elbows," Manny said after freeing himself.

"You don't have to. Being injured over and over is part of the learning process."

"Yeah I guess so. You fell off Ponyta lots of times growing up didn't you?"

"No, my Mom and Dad helped me. Your parents won't; they're still mad at you, so suck it up! It's just cuts and bruises!"

"Yeah!" Mint said, trying to pedal but not making it more than one yard before crashing. "Ow! My knee!"

"Is it broken?"

"Nuh uh, let's keep going!"

Hanny snapped her fingers. "Oh, I knew I was forgetting something! We forgot to loot the abandoned Team Galactic HQ."

"You go ahead Hanny, we'll need a few minutes..."

Manny crashed into a wall. The wall was not impressed. "...Maybe more than a few minutes. See ya later!"

Hanny robbed Galactic HQ blind, locating an Up-Grade on the top floor. Zeke waited outside.

"Zeke, why are boys so dumb?"

Zeke offered a snort as she hopped onto the saddle.

"Why can't boys be smart like Rapidash? You're gonna be one someday, aren'cha, Zeke?"

His whinny was noncommittal.

"Oh, don't be like that. You'll be a fine stallion. Considering how much in love Manny is with his bike, I'm sure you'll evolve faster than his mare."

His snort was a bit more optimistic.

Later she and Zeke caught up with the boys at the gates to the Bike Path.

"Learned how to ride yet?"

The boys were covered head to foot in dirt, cuts, scrapes and bruises. Their clothing was torn at the elbows and knees. Their bikes were banged up but still working.

Mint gave a thumbs-up. "We sure did!"

"We're MASTER CYCLISTS now so we're going down this long and dangerous route!"

"Whoa, there, cowgirl, you can't ride Pokémon on the Bike Path!" one of the guards behind the counter yelled as Zeke tromped through.

"Says who?"

"Uh, says me?"

"How are you going to stop me? There isn't a locked gate you have to open, and unless my eyes are failing me, there are motorcyclists tearing up and down your exclusive bicycle path."

"Well, those guys are scary!" another guard whined. "They scared away all the regular cyclists!"

"Trust me, I'm _much _scarier, and I'm a pyromaniac."

Zeke made a point of stomping a hoof, snorting loudly at the guard, who squeaked.

The other guard wagged her finger. "Go through then, but we're very cross with you!"

Hannah reeled back, her hands fluttering to her chest. "My heart, you have shattered it with your cruel words!" She then laughed. "Come along, li'l doggies, we have bikers to humiliate!"

Hannah rounded up Manny and Mint, leading them forward.


	10. Chapter 10: Cycling and Wayward Cave

Mint raised a hand off the handlebars. "Um, Hanny, ya didn't seem thrilled with the egg Cynthia gave ya."

"I already know what Pokémon I want. I'll just hatch this egg and store it on the PC."

"Can I have it?"

"Sure, gimme a second."

She slipped her backpack onto her lap so that she could cautiously remove the egg. Mint jumped off his bike to snatch the egg from her hands. "I shall love it and pet it and call it mine," he promised fervently.

"Whatever. Let's get on with it."

"I'll use it in battle as my Attack Egg! Yay!"

"Eggs can't fight."

"Not even if I put a spiked collar on it and write 'RAWR' on the shell with marker?"

"Not even if."

"Awww."

After Mint secured the egg within his own backpack, the trio crested a hill that stretched downhill beyond the horizon.

"Wow, the road goes on forever to the south!" Mint smiled, eager to test his speed machine.

"We'll be in Oreburgh at the end of it," Manny replied just as eagerly, revving his bike pedals.

"If you two are done stating the obvious?" Hanny asked before guiding Zeke directly in the path of a biker, who screeched to an enraged stop, his Mohawk quivering.

"DUMB KID! You can't ride a pathetic Ponyta on our turf!"

Zeke neighed his annoyance, his hooves scuffing the asphalt in challenge.

Hannah said softly, "Zeke will end you."

The biker summoned a Koffing. She smirked at the gas balloon. "How cute. Zeke, Stomp."

He did so, squishing the fat ball, forcing its noxious fumes into a death cloud over its Trainer. The big man choked before slumping over his handlebars.

"Should we call an ambulance?" Manny said, poking the body with a stick.

Hanny dismissed the incident with a hand-wave, traveling further down the road. "He'll sleep it off. It's only poison."

Manny and Mint got the Luxray's share of the bikers. Mint demonstrated the speed and attack power of his Floatzel, which he had caught as a Buizel near the Windworks.

"It's just like you to choose a Pokémon with very high attack and speed but no defenses," Manny said.

Mint hugged Floatzel, who squeaked. "Thanks! I like him, too!"

Near the end of the road, after Hanny trounced yet another biker and his poison Pokémon, the biker spat on the ground, revved his engine and roared off, only to skid in Zeke's dung, sending his bike spinning wildly out of control before tipping over the safety rails. He and his bike landed in tall grass below with a distinctly unpleasant _crunch_.

"Should we call the ambulance _now?" _Manny said.

"He'll sleep it off. Tough guys like that shrug off fractures and internal injuries all the time. It's their rowdy lifestyle," she said with another hand-wave.

"I wanna be a biker someday! VRMM VRMM!" Mint yelled, attempting to pop a wheelie but falling over instead with a clatter.

"You're not cool enough to wear a leather jacker," Manny said.

Mint frowned, righting his precious bike. "Ugh, I'm gonna be cool like my Dad someday! What's it like being cool?"

"You'll find out when you get older. _If_ you survive that long," Hanny said to Mint, who had become distracted during the past four seconds and was pointing below the Bike Path, against the rock face.

"I see a cave back there! I wanna go spelunking!"

"Wayward Cave," Manny remembered from _Bulbapedia_, "home to Zubat, Geodude, Onix, Bronzor, Gible, and, on special occasions, Sandshrew."

Mint's eyes became saucers.

"Didja say 'Gible'? Like the unevolved version of Cynthia's Garchomp?"

"Land sharks!" Hannah yelled. "They shall feast on you landlubbers!"

"That's the one," Manny nodded, before realising that Mint was no longer with them. Hannah pointed at the blonde head rapidly descending a service ladder with his bike neatly folded inside his backpack.

"We'd better follow him before the land sharks eat him," Manny said, folding his own bike before swinging his feet over the edge onto the rungs. They had to run to catch up with Mint, whose head was swinging left and right.

He pointed at the rock wall hidden in shadow. "You guys! Underneath the Bike Path there's ANOTHER cave entrance!"

"Wonders never cease. Shall we?"

"We shall, because I want a Gible, too! Then I'll be a pirate queen!" Hanny whooped, chasing after Mint who was already running pell-mell for the super-secret entrance that nobody observing from a bird's-eye view would spot. Inside was a winding maze of bike ramps. Manny walked forward…

"Whuh-AAAAAAAH!"

…and fell into a hole, clipping his chin on the edge as he fell.

"Ow!" he cried, cradling his jaw. The hole was about six feet deep. Mint and Hanny peered over the edge at him.

Mint chortled. "You want an Escape Rope?"

"Maybe Keira can fly him out," Hannah suggested.

"You guys suck," Manny spat. He leaped like a Politoed, scrambling with both hands and feet up the hardpacked soil to freedom.

"Gible have dug out many homes in this cavern," Hannah said, waving her arm to encompass the area.

Manny pressed one thumb against the side of his jaw. "Let's get to the end of the cave before we start looking for Gible. There's always treasure to find in these places."

While the boys sprayed stinking Repel on themselves, Hannah followed in their wake with Zeke, who turned up his nose at the stench.

"Get used to it, boy; we'll have to rely on Repel unless we want to get swamped by random encounters."

The cave was so long and winding that the egg hatched before they arrived at the end. A baby Togepi lay in Mint's hands. The boy was so overcome by its tiny paws and bright new eyes that he began to blubber.

"I'm a daddy!" he cried, hugging the happy, squeaking creature. Proving that they had hearts and souls inside their bitter shells, Manny and Hanny choked down their cynicism and instead joined Mint in welcoming Togepi into the world, petting its soft spiky head and touching its even softer velvety paws.

"It IS unbearably cute," Manny admitted, observing the little cooing thing.

"Uh-huh," Hanny said, which surprised the daylights out of the two boys, who wisely kept their comments to themselves.

At the end of the cave the trio found not treasure, but a priceless artifact: the TM for 'Earthquake'.

Manny handed the CD to Mint. "This will be invaluable for your future Garchomp, because it won't learn this move naturally." He shook his head with wonder. "Can you imagine, Hanny, a Garchomp and Togekiss, with Earthquake and Aura Sphere between them? They'll be devastating."

"Aw shucks, Manny, you're making me blush," Mint said, accepting the gift.

"You might turn out to be a worthy rival yet," Hannah said, "even though I dislike your choice of Pokémon."

"Awww, my whole face must be red," Mint tittered. Once the foul scent of Repel wore off, Manny kicked back and relaxed while Hanny and Mint ran all over the cave, dodging the likes of Geodude, Zubat and Onix until they encountered a Gible each. Hanny captured hers without incident, but Mint caught trouble.

"I CAN FEEL ITS TEETH SINKING INTO MY BRAIN!" he bawled, still holding his giggling Togepi in one hand. The Gible fastened to his blonde head gnawed his tasty human skull with its comically oversized jaws. Hanny helped him knock off the hungry Gible and capture it. She sprayed a Potion on his head to staunch the bleeding.

"I caught a male! According to my Pokédex, Togepi is male, too! Wow, I have an all-male team of four so far! I have to start catching some ladies instead!" Mint laughed, despite his head injury.

While Manny uncoiled the Escape Rope, Mint and Hanny took time to study the myriad holes Gible had dug into the cave floor.

"There must be a huge underground network where the Gible socialise," Hannah said.

"Now I know why they don't naturally learn Earthquake: if they did, they'd destroy their own homes while play-fighting each other."

"For someone so dense, you _do_ have brief flashes of insight. You'll be a Pokémon Professor yet, Mint!"

"No thanks, I'd rather be happy when I grow up."

They heard Manny gasp behind them.

"Keira, GO!"

They whirled around to see what all the fuss was. Their eyes doubled in size.

"Shiny," Mint squeaked. Keira had cornered a shiny Gible. While regular, garden-variety Gible had a turquoise hide marked with light blue stripes, shiny Gible had royal blue hides marked with light blue stripes.

Hannah gawked. "I've only seen a shiny Gible on the Internet! It's so much more beautiful in person!"

As the shiny Gible shifted its weight in preparation for attack, the light hit its hide at a different angle, causing it to sparkle like a star sapphire.

"I MUST CAPTURE IT!" Hannah and Mint yelled.

"Orric, go!"

"Monferno, go!"

"HEY! I saw it first!" Manny yelled.

"Orric, use Bite on Keira!"

"Monferno, use Blaze Kick on Orric!"

"Keira, use Wing Attack on Monferno!"

The moment Keira slammed her wing into Infernape, Orric chomped her, but received a fiery axe kick to the cranium. The three Pokémon lay in a heap, exhausted, while the shiny Gible ran off.

"AAAAAAH!" Manny screamed with the abject horror only a Pokémon Trainer knew, running after it.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Mint and Hanny howled, giving chase. They spent the next five seconds tearing after the incredibly rare Pokémon, until it leaped into the nearest convenient hole.

"COME BAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" Manny shrieked, diving in after it.

"I WANT OOOOOOOOOOOONE!" Hannah wailed, diving also, wedging herself with Manny inside the hole.

"I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH MY CELL PHONE!" Mint bawled, attempting to jump into the hole also, but only managing to get his head stuck between Hanny and Manny. They spent the next minute in great lamentation, at both their unutterable loss and their inability to wriggle free. Eventually, their three Pokémon took pity on them, and dragged them to safety. The three Trainers sat there, tears running down their faces.

"You guys SUCK!" Manny shouted, pouncing upon them both, punching and kicking.

"YOU STARTED IT!" Hannah shrieked, fending off his frenzied attack with her backpack.

"I JUST GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT!" Mint flailed his arms as he was beat up.

After calming down, the Trainers returned their Pokémon and decided to join a support group.

"Hello? Is this the hotline for Shiny Loss? My two friends, Hannah and Mint, just made me lose a shiny Gible in the cave under the Bike Path..."

Manny's cell phone beeped. He frowned at the 'Call Ended' message.

"Uh, okay. I should know better than to use my cell phone underground. Let's get out of h-"

They heard an ominous rumbling, accompanied by a great host of voices shouting all at once.

"WHERE IS THE SHINY GIBLE?"

"IT MUST STILL BE AROUND HERE!"

"I WANT ONE SO BAD!"

The din intensified when a crowd of fully-grown adults, armed with shovels, stampeded into the cave entrance with their Pokémon. They began excavating the cave floor, ordering their various plant-type Pokémon to use Sweet Scent, and tooting on black glass flutes. Manny, Hanny and Mint covered their ears and wrinkled their noses.

"I FOUND A GIBLE, BUT IT ISN'T SHINY!" a large hiker bellowed, flinging the common Gible over his shoulder as he continued his furious digging.

"THERE ARE SO MANY GEODUDES AND ZUBATS, BUT NO SHINY ONES! I WANT ONE SO BAD!" an Ace Trainer screeched. "IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE A GOOD SHINY! I JUST WANT OOOOOOOOOONE!"

"Let's get out of here," Hanny muttered, just as the large hiker dug too deep and fell into a nest of non-shiny Gible, who set about eating his backpack and gnawing his bearded face.

888

Using an Escape Rope, the three of them teleported outside. In the sunlight, Hannah did a double-take when she looked at Mint.

"What is that ridiculous appendage growing out of your hair?"

There was a white oval dome, speckled with red and blue circles, nestled on Mint's head.

"I'm going through puberty, okay?"

"You're TEN YEARS OLD, dimwit!"

"Shhhh! Togepi is sleeping!" Mint shushed her, but then looked down at his hands. "Where's Togepi? Where's my baby?!"

Manny grabbed Mint by the shoulder and pushed him down to inspect the hair growth.

"Oh! He learned how to climb."

Although his head was recessed into his colourful shell, the sleeping Togepi was holding onto strands of Mint's blonde hair with its tiny paws, so that he wouldn't roll off.

"Now you can ride your bike while carrying him," Manny informed his compatriot.

"My son is a _genius!_" Mint squealed. "Let's stop in Oreburgh before we head to Mount Coronet, you guys; I need to get baby supplies."

When they passed the southern entrance of the Bike Path, one of Rowan's assistants, who happened to also be Dawn's father, stopped the trio before they went any further.

"I missed you guys at the top of Cycling Road! Did you guys see at least 35 Pokémon?"

"I've _caught _at least 35 Pokémon," Hanny boasted.

"Me, too," Mint said.

"Uh, sure," Manny lied.

"Great! Each of you, take this."

Dawn's father gave them each an odd, futuristic harness.

"This is known as 'Exp Share'. Equip it on a Pokémon and it will receive battling experience even if it's not active. It'll work really well with your Togepi!" he told Mint, who blanched.

"I AM NOT PUTTING THIS ON MY BABY! HOW DARE YOU!" he shrieked, running over Dawn's father with his bike.


	11. Chapter 11: Oreburgh and Mount Coronet

Oreburgh City hadn't changed a bit during the months that had passed while they were in the Underground. After recuperating in the Pokémon Centre, Mint happily skittered off to shop for his baby. The other two visited the PokéMart.

"We haven't seen you two for a long time. Did you give up on your adventure?" one of the clones behind the counter enquired.

"Quite the opposite; we just defeated Gardenia and want to sell you the stuff we dug up in the Underground," Manny corrected them.

"Oh, dusty little trinkets have you?" the other clone scoffed. "Let's see them."

"They're in Eterna City. Along with another friend, we FILLED the Underground Man's basement with elemental Plates, a variety of useful rocks and stones, bones, Revives, Max Revives, Heart Scales, coloured shards and fossils. We couldn't carry it all with us."

"If what you are saying is true, little man, we will come with you," a clone said, frowning.

"If you are tricking us into leaving our store so your other 'friend' can break in and steal, we will destroy you," the other clone promised with not a hint of emotion in his tone.

The cynical proprietors of Oreburgh's PokéMart soon discovered that the children spoke the truth. The Underground Man's basement was actually a natural cavern, sectioned off hundreds of times by artificial walls and doors, like a grand underground warehouse. There were millions of treasures within these rooms, and Eugene took them to the ones Hanny, Manny and Mint co-owned.

"Turns out these youngsters were really good at excavatin'," Eugene chortled, stroking his white beard. "This one here's Manny's treasure room."

He unlocked the heavy steel door, pushing it open with surprising strength for his age.

"Woo! Digging for treasure all day has its benefits!"

Before them lay a mound of treasure that was taller and wider than Manny's house in TwinLeaf. It sparkled with hidden promise that would make a thief's fingers itch. The PokéMart proprietors salivated till they dribbled from the corners of their mouths.

"There's TWO MORE of these?" they chorused.

Eugene opened Hanny's cache: it was about the same size, shining with the loot of a thousand conquests fit for a pirate queen. The clones hugged each other, too weak to stand on their own when confronted with such opulence. Then he opened Mint's cache: it was the size of _three_ houses. The treasure hill glittered with the riches of a kingdom. The clones fell onto their backsides, struck down by dreams of avarice.

"That blonde kid," Eugene hooted. "He's the best excavator there is. Ain't _nobody_ in all my decades of digging ever dug as fast or as well as he."

888

It took a few days, but the PokéMart clones cleared out all of it: they hired the coal-mining Machop of Oreburgh to cart the treasure from the basement to the hired fleet of delivery trucks aboveground. Of course, Manny and Hanny ensured that they kept all of the Revives, Max Revives, coloured shards and Heart Scales for themselves and Mint. They kept one each of the fossils, and three each of the Pokémon-usable items, in case they ever needed them. It took another few days for the PokéMart clerks to count the rest of it and calculate what they owed the three Trainers. When their calculations were complete, they invited the three kids to their PokéMart. Locking the doors and shutting the blinds, they huddled with them in a dark corner.

"Your bank accounts are now six figures _each,"_ one of the PokéMart clones whispered with unabashed pride. "We respect you now, for you have made both of us very, very rich. The museum will be paying us for those fossils for years to come!"

Manny shook their hands. "We are the youngest millionaires in the world. We must alert the Guinness Book of Records at once."

Hanny shook their hands in turn. "I'll buy land near Solaceon Town and build a ranch on it so Zeke can run around."

"I'll buy those islands off the west coast and turn them into amusement parks!" Mint yelled, jumping up and down with Togepi bouncing on his head, waving its little paws, chirping with glee.

"The sad thing is, he _can _do it; he's richer than both of us combined," Hanny sighed.

Manny smiled. "I think I'll go home and tell Mom the good news."

Hannah grabbed Manny by the scarf and pulled him down.

"Are you _insane? _If our parents find out, they'll want to TAKE our money from us! They'll say we aren't responsible enough to handle all that wealth, or something equally stupid!"

"Huh, you're right. Mint! Stop calling your Mom!"

"Awww," Mint said, ending the call before she picked up. "I want Mom to be proud of me!"

"She can be proud of you when you are legally an adult and she can't meddle in your affairs!"

"Fiiiiiiiiine," Mint whined, flopping on the counter, Togepi mimicking his pout.

"We will continue our adventure like normal," Manny said. "We will tell no-one of our six-figured bank accounts, or else Jubilife TV and all the other bums in Sinnoh will stalk us."

"I do not relish the idea of paparazzi following us wherever we go," Hanny said. "I hate the very idea of being a celebrity."

"Considering the way you use us to your own ends, I doubt that, but let's just go. Come on, Mint!"

"Coming," Mint said, feeding Togepi a bottle above his head.

888

When the Trainers left the PokéMart, the usual hustle and bustle of Oreburgh was gone, replaced by a crowded commotion around the Pokémon Centre.

"Excuse me, did something happen?" Manny asked the nearest resident. The woman turned, her face flushed bright red.

"It's my daughter, Mira! A cave-in trapped her in Wayward Cave!"

"Oh my gosh, is she okay?" Mint asked, his eyes goggling with worry.

"She's fine!" Mira's Mom flapped her hands in dismissal. "But she won't listen to Roark!"

The trio pushed through the crowd so that they could watch Roark scolding the little girl.

"You're lucky to be alive after that Geodude used Self-Destruct!"

Roark continued yelling at Mira, whose deep scowl reminded Manny of a wild Onix.

"I told you already, Kadabra handled it!"

"He was knocked unconscious, the ceiling came down, and you were trapped on the other side with him! You were missing for almost an entire day!"

She glared at him with all the brash defiance a little girl can muster. "I'm not gonna give up my Pokémon because of one stupid cave-in!"

Roark flailed his arms in anger. "What if the rocks had fallen ON the two of you? You have a Meowth's luck, that's for sure! Now give me that Pokéball!"

He lunged at her. She screamed "NO!" and kicked him in the shin. While the Gym Leader howled, hopping on one leg and clutching the other, Mira summoned her Kadabra and fed him a Revive.

"Thanks for digging us out, Mister Roark, but we're a team; we'll never be separated! Kadabra, use Confusion!"

Roark became violently disoriented, foaming at the mouth and collapsing. Mira and Kadabra beat an expeditious retreat, evading her mother and the other townsfolk.

Pausing at the town gate, she lifted her fist, her small voice and bright, clear eyes holding in them a spark of eternal flame. "I won't stop training 'til I'm tougher! I won't be a scaredy-cat anymore!" she promised everyone before disappearing into the eastern Mount Coronet entrance.

Manny, Hanny and Mint looked at each other, shrugged, and exited north out of the city.

888

Just before they entered Mount Coronet to the northeast of Oreburgh, a familiar face stopped them.

"Dawn!"

"Hanny!"

"What're you doing here? I thought you were Professor Rowan's protégé!"

She hopped up and down, bubbling over with youthful earnestness. "Not anymore; I began my Pokémon adventure with Piplup last week! Lab work's not for me, you know? I want to be a Pokémon breeder; the best breeder there is!"

"Congratulations on ditching that weirdo Rowan. Care to join us through Mount Coronet?"

"I'm not ready for that, yet. I just came here to give you each a Versus Seeker and Dowsing machine application for your Pokétches! My dad would give them to you, but some biker ran him over the other day."

"Fascinating," Mint said.

"The first one allows you to battle with Trainers you've already defeated, and the second one allows you to find hidden items around you!"

Hanny smiled. "Thanks, Dawn."

Manny, Mint and Togepi stared in disbelief. They hadn't seen Hannah smile before.

"How come you guys are still near Oreburgh, anyway? Shouldn't you have at least challenged the Sinnoh League by now?"

"Oh, we went to the Underground," Mint said.

"Nice! Did you find anything?"

"NOTHING!" Manny waved his hands and shook his head side to side.

"NOTHING AT ALL! We didn't bring back a thing!" Hanny shook her head and hands likewise.

"I don't know about you guys, but I checked my bank account this morning, and-"

"SHUT UP!" Manny and Hanny yelled, their eyes almost popping out of their heads.

"OH! Right! I totally forgot! Thanks for reminding me, guys," Mint said, blushing. He then put on his best crestfallen face. "Yeah, Dawn, we didn't bring back anything with us. We've got nothing but the clothes on our backs, we're so poor!"

Dawn raised her eyebrows, then shrugged and waved goodbye. "O…kay, then. I'll be going now. Good luck, and please be careful!"

The three waved back while hustling off to Mount Coronet. "Good luck! We will!"

888

No sooner had they entered the cave and turned the corner than the same stern man with spiky blue hair walked into them, descending a rocky staircase.

Without bothering to greet them or even state his name, he began lecturing in a cold, dead voice. "According to one theory, Mount Coronet is where the Sinnoh region began."

Togepi began crying. Mint cradled the baby, raising his other hand in greeting. "Hello, my name is Mint, what's your-"

The man ignored the boy, and instead looked upward from whence he had come. "…In a newly created world… A world where only time flowed and space expanded… There should have been no strife."

"Excuse me, mister, but you're-"

The blue-haired man turned sharply, staring down Manny with his haunted eyes. "But what became of that world? Because the human spirit is weak and incomplete, strife has spread…"

Manny felt a chill run down his spine.

The man held up his hands and with them encompassed all creation held in his dark eyes. "This world is being ruined by it… I find this state of affairs to be deplorable."

He then pushed past the children as though they weren't even standing there.

Mint scratched Togepi's head, who had calmed down somewhat. "We keep running into that guy! He sure is kooky."

"I'm more worried about him than our stalker, Looker," Manny said, helping Mint comfort the baby with tickles. "He must be working for Team Galactic. He has that spiky golden 'G' on his clothing."

"That makes no sense. Every Galactic commander we've come across always had an army of minions behind them. This guy's always alone," Mint said as Togepi giggled.

"Then maybe he's a grunt."

"Did you _see _his eyes, or hear the way he talked, Manny? He HAS to be one of their commanders!"

"Then I don't want to run into their boss."

Hannah said nothing. Manny suddenly felt the desire to find a warm place filled with sunshine. He took the lead through the damp, dark tunnels.

888

As they traveled east along Route 208 beyond Mount Coronet, defeating Trainers one after the other, they ran into an Aroma Lady named Hannah.

"How dare you insult my name by being an Aroma Lady!" Hanny hollered. "Wearing your pretty dress and carrying around a flower basket! Shame on you for fulfilling a female stereotype!"

"I'm sorry!" Hannah bawled. "I just like flowers!"

"CHANGE YOUR NAME THIS INSTANT!" Hanny commanded. "You're making me look bad!"

"Uh, um, is 'Renata' okay?"

"I don't care, as long as people don't mistake the likes of YOU for the real deal; me!"

"I'm so sorry!" Renata cried.

A little further on, they met an elderly artist.

"I shall make a fantastic tableau of our battle!" he boasted, but only sent out a Mime Jr. and Bonsly. Mint's Floatzel trounced them with impunity.

"Our battle will be the inspiration for a masterpiece painting! I shall title it… 'My Pokémon Is Fight!'"

"Oh, dear Lord!" Manny cried out. "You're a _SomethingAwful_ Goon!"

"That old guy's a Goon? The world has gone mad!" Hanny held her head.

"What's a Goon?" Mint asked, returning Floatzel.

"Don't ask! Run, before he makes another reference to his comedy website!" Manny yelled, sticking both fingers in his ears.

The old artist grinned. "Photoshop Phriday is awesome!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Hanny and Manny screamed as they ran for their dear, sweet lives and sanity. Mint lingered, with Togepi making confused noises at Manny and Hanny's behaviour.

"Can I get the website for that? I love jokes!"

"_Something Awful_ dot com, my boy. The Internet Makes You Stupid, but nonetheless, buy Zack Parsons's novel, or he will crush you with his wallet."

Mint took due note of this before following his friends's screams into Hearthome City.


	12. Chapter 12: Hearthome City

As chance would have it, a Buneary ran into Manny just as he hurdled the gate between Route 208 and Hearthome City.

"Myun!" the Buneary cried, crashing into Manny's legs, knocking the boy over.

"Oh! I'm so glad you stopped my cute little Buneary!" a pretty lady called, running over to them, quite out of breath. "My name's Keira! I'm a Pokémon Contest Judge…"

"Keira? YOUR NAME IS KEIRA?" Hanny shouted. "I named a STARLY Keira, and gave it to this blockhead! You will NOT be associated with the likes of MY Keira!"

Keira blinked, gathering her Buneary in her arms. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand?"

Hannah pointed at the woman, fire in her eyes. "MY Keira is now a Staravia, who is adamant, fast, and brave! You're just some contest judge because you couldn't find any REAL work! CHANGE YOUR NAME THIS INSTANT!"

"How dare you! I happen to be an influential figure in Hearthome City!"

"You hide your sorrow with fame, don't you? Just look at that Buneary! You don't even have control over your OWN Pokémon! You probably don't even have a single Gym Badge, do you?" Hanny viciously accused her. "Living your life as a 'judge', hah! You're a sham, and are not worthy of carrying the name 'Keira'!"

Keira's shoulders slumped. "You're right!" she sobbed. "I just carry this Buneary around so that people will _think_ I care about land Pokémon! It actually belongs to my sister!"

She dug out a notebook from her pocket, showing it to the kids. It was filled with drawings of Water Pokémon, along with scribbled notes of their favourite food, habitats and life cycles.

"See? All I wanted to do was become a marine biologist, but Mother forced me into the family business of Pokémon contests!"

Hannah grabbed the woman's forearms (she was too short to reach the upper arms) and shook her until Keira's teeth rattled. The boys, too shocked to react, shrank back and shielded Togepi's eyes.

"You're a grown woman! Your family does NOT control your hopes and dreams! Take control of your own life! Change your name, and I may forgive you!"

Something clicked into place. Keira stood up straighter and looked around at the children and hospitable Hearthome as though she understood the world for the first time. Her voice was firm when she said, "From now on, my name is 'Puakai', which means 'ocean flower'!"

Puakai dropped her sister's Buneary, which promptly zipped past Manny and out of Hearthome's gate.

"The ocean calls to me! I... I'm finally free!" Puakai rejoiced, ripping the Pokémon judge emblem off her shirt, whipping out a pair of glasses, and racing out of Hearthome towards a better life, her precious notebook pressed against her heart.

"Wow, Hanny. That's the second person today you've successfully manipulated," Manny said.

"I'm still traveling with you two jokers, so that makes four," she sniffed, and went with them to the Pokémon Centre to freshen up.

888

Learning that Fantina the Gym Leader was in the Contest Hall, the Trainers went there to find Manny's mother in the lobby. She was stunning in a navy-blue ballroom gown. Her deep blue hair was adorned with a silver tiara. Manny almost didn't recognise her in those clothes, with all that makeup and jewelry on.

"Hi, Manny!" she said, embracing him to his eternal embarrassment. Mint and Hanny snickered.

"Hi, Manny's Mom! My name's Mint," the blonde kid said, sticking out a hand.

"My name's Johanna," she introduced herself, graciously taking his hand with a curtsy.

"So, your mother DOES have a name!" Hanny winked at Manny, who turned a deeper shade of crimson. "Hi Johanna, my name's Hannah, or Hanny for short."

"You all came here to participate in the Pokémon Contests, right? I came here because I was bored!"

She examined her son with a critical eye, turning him this way and that until he was dizzy.

"You can't be serious about entering contests when you're dressed that way! Your Pokémon will dress up, so you must dress up, too! Put this on for a little glamour," she ordered, handing him a tuxedo. Mint and Hanny couldn't take it any longer; they burst into scandalous laughter.

"Mooooooooooooom!" Manny whined.

"I'm sure it'll look good on you. After all, I chose it myself! Go enjoy the contests, honey!"

"Yes, Manny, listen to your mother," Hanny wiped a tear from her eye, still giggling.

"Mommy's little Prinplup!" Mint hooted. Manny grumbled about betrayal and sedition.

"Contests offer you a variety of challenges, but I'm sure you'll find them to be a lot of fun! Bye, now!"

"Where are you going, Mom?"

"Oh, I made lots of friends in Hearthome since I won their Master Rank Beauty contest."

The jaws of all three children unhinged and plummeted to the floor. They emitted a series of incoherent babbles.

"I'm going to a party at the Pokémon Fan Club, held in MY honour! If you need me, don't call until tomorrow afternoon!"

She kissed Manny on the head before leaving, sweeping out of the lobby like a ballerina.

"Your MOM is better than you!" Hanny exclaimed. "Anyone who can win a Master Rank contest is a better Trainer than any Gym Leader in Sinnoh!"

"She really was bored," Manny whispered in profound awe.

Mint smiled. "You must be really proud of her."

Togepi waggled his paws in agreement.

"Yeah. I guess I am. Wow. Mom's a _Master…_"

There was another lady in the lobby dressed as though she were attending a ballroom dance, outfitted from head to toe in purple. Her purple shoes, gown and elbow-length gloves were fabulous, but her hair was arranged into four bobs that stuck out of her head, resembling fan blades. When the Trainers approached her out of morbid curiosity, she performed a perfect pirouette on the spot, the lush fabric of her gown glittering.

"Monsieur Manny, Johanna is your mother? You, too, must be a prodigy!" she proclaimed in a thick French accent. She then noticed what was sitting on Mint's head. "Oh, your Togepi! So cute!" she gushed, tickling his little paws to the Pokémon's delight. Mint blushed so furiously he almost got a nosebleed.

"I must apologise; I am not at all interested in Pokémon contests, ma'am," Manny said politely, for once. Her manner of dress certainly commanded respect.

"Ah, yes, they are not for everyone. I love dancing, though, especially with my Pokémon. You are interested in the Gym, yes?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I am Fantina, Hearthome's Gym Leader. If not under the spotlight, then I shall meet you on the field of battle! _Au revoir_, Manny!"

"Good day, ma'am," Manny bowed at the hip while Fantina glided across the floor, humming as she went.

Hanny smacked him in the back of his head. "I thought you had more backbone that that!"

"She's wearing clothes that cost more than the house I live in! I can't snap at her like she was some idiot Trainer!"

"She also knows his Mom!" Mint leaped to his defense.

Hanny shook her head while walking outside. "When you're done being love-struck, I'll be at the Gym, mopping the floor with her pretty dress."

The automatic sliding doors closed. Mint scratched his head, scratching Togepi's back at the same time. "Why do you figure Hanny's always in such a bad mood?"

"Rowan and her parents abandoned her, forcing her to survive alone in the world with two complete strangers as her companions. She can't go back to school or her childhood friends, she can't go home, and she can't give up, because there's nobody waiting for her at home."

"You don't have anyone waiting for you at home, either!"

"Yeah, but I'm a _boy_, I never knew my Dad, and I was homeschooled; it's no big deal. You're the same as me, even though _your_ Dad is famous."

"Except I have a Togepi, and you don't. Oooh, _burn!_" Mint zinged him.

Manny bowed. "May you live forever, Mint."

888

By the time they arrived at the Gym that afternoon, Hanny was leaving with the Relic Badge in hand.

Mint gaped at the shiny trophy. "Are they really that easy?"

"They only use Ghosts; I had two Pokémon with Bite. It wasn't a challenge."

The boys went inside to find the weird sunglasses guy they had met in Eterna's Gym cowering behind one of the Pokémon statues. He yelped when Manny poked him in the shoulder.

"Is that girl gone? She threatened to break my knees with her Grotle if I spoke to her!"

"Yeah, she's gone. So, we just need Dark-type moves in this Gym, huh?"

"Y-yeah. Why do you boys hang out with her?"

"She's fun!" Mint piped up.

"Threatening people with physical violence is fun? What are you kids learning on the Interwebs these days?" he moaned. "Here, take these flashlights. Inside is total darkness. Find the blue floor tile, memorise the symbol, then use the door marked with the corresponding red floor tile symbol!"

"Will do," Manny saluted.

The boys had no trouble whatsoever with the Trainers inside. They spent most of their time getting lost in the dark maze, whose walls were sculpted into the shape of Duskulls. When they located Fantina, the Gym Leader performed yet another pirouette, her gown flashing.

"Ohohoho! Finally, you have arrived!"

Manny bowed. "Hello again."

Mint mimicked him, but Togepi almost fell off, so he just nodded to the lady instead.

"Since I came to this country, always I try to learn new things. They hold Contests in this city? I say to myself, _enfin_, I will excel. That is why I dress this way. C'est une performance!"

Manny smiled. "I'm sure you do very well."

"Also, I study Pokémon very much. I have come to be Gym Leader. And, uh, so it shall be that you challenge me. But I shall win. That is what a Gym Leader does, _non_?"

"_Oui_," Manny replied, summoning his Luxio. Fantina used a Duskull, Haunter, and Mismagius, but Luxio's and Grotle's Bite attacks demolished them. Mint challenged her next, with the same result.

"You two are so fantastically strong, I understand why I lost! I am dumbfounded! So very, very strong! You, your Pokémon, so strong!"

Mint and Manny both blushed brick red.

"Your power is admirable! I shall honour it with these Gym Badges!"

The boys received their shiny Relic Badges, along with an additional gift of the TM for Shadow Claw.

"Remember, boys, there are many more Trainers! You must become stronger, one Trainer at a time!"

"We will! Thank you, ma'am!" they echoed each other. At the Gym entrance, the weird sunglasses guy praised them.

"There seems to be no end to how tough you are getting!"

Manny waved off the comment. "You say that to everyone."

"That's true, but you'll see! Someday you or your rival will be Champ!"

888

Now that they had what they had come for, the boys spent some time wandering the city.

"There sure are a lot of babies here. It's the opposite of Eterna City," Mint said, watching numerous mothers pushing strollers. "None of them seem to have fathers. Do you think this is where they raise the next generation of fatherless Pokémon Trainers?"

"Forget that! These guys have a _church_," Manny pointed at a building whose stonework was a throwback to medieval times, with a gothic archway and blue crystal dome crowning the imposing structure. Venturing inside, they saw a row of wooden pews on either side of the central blue carpet, which led to a huge stained glass depiction of Mount Coronet and the swirling clouds around its peak.

"Do they worship Mount Coronet?" Mint whispered.

"It sure seems that way."

The people spoke of love, joy, and the relationship of Pokémon to humans. An elderly man stressed that, if the strong did everything, they would take away the opportunity for other folk to contribute.

"Isn't that what the Pokémon League in every region does? Don't they do everything?" Manny argued.

"The Pokémon Leagues only govern the world of Pokémon and the people who use Pokémon; nothing else."

"Their reach extends beyond that! I've seen Pokémon Masters like FabuLance determine environmental policy and take down criminal organisations like Team Rocket. Crime and the environment are supposed to be governmental concerns!"

"You have a point there, young man, but tell me, who pays public servants and runs the commercial sector? Who provides public utilities? What about agriculture and transportation?"

"I agree that the elected government controls the finances and commerce, but Pokémon are involved in every other aspect of human civilisation. Every power plant in every region is littered with Pokémon; some of them are even powered by Pokémon! Oreburgh's coal mine depends on Machop more than human workers. There isn't a farm in the world that's run without Pokémon assistance, and while the government sponsors ferry and train services, why use them when Pokémon can surf or fly you to your destination?"

The old man stroked his white beard.

"What is your point?"

"Those who control Pokémon, control the world. This was never more obvious than when Team Magma and Team Aqua awoke two legendary Pokémon, six years ago."

"Kyogre and Groudon," the old man remembered, shivering. "There was severe drought in Sinnoh, but the seas raged. Everyone felt they were doomed, with no hope on land or sea."

"Salvation came from the sky. Rayquaza descended from the Sky Pillar, forcing them to settle down. What if someone were to take control of Rayquaza?"

"Impossible. No-one has ever captured a legendary Pokémon; no-one!"

"What about ten years ago, the year I was born, when MewTwo created a _worldwide _hurricane?"

"That was even worse," the old man muttered. "Hearthome was completely destroyed by the stormy winds. Only this church survived, because it's the strongest building here."

"MewTwo would have ended human civilisation then and there, and we wouldn't be standing here, having this conversation, if Ash Ketchum and Mew hadn't changed his mind! What if someone were to capture MewTwo, and use him for their own purposes?"

"Again, it's impossible. You can't subdue a god. Rayquaza calmed Kyogre and Groudon, while Mew reasoned with her clone. Sure, the young Trainers helped, but the gods manage their own affairs. Need I remind you that it was corrupt _human_ scientists who angered MewTwo, and _human_ criminals who angered the gods of land and sea?"

"There are evil humans, but there are noble ones among us."

"No matter how good or evil, you can no more capture one than you can capture the wind or the ocean in a Pokéball."

"They may be mighty, but they're still Pokémon. They CAN be captured, if the Trainer is powerful enough. Chaos theory dictates that, sooner or later, such a Trainer will arise. Maybe even more than one!"

"Blasphemy," the old man shook his head, walking away from Manny. "This conversation is over."

Manny walked with Mint away from the place of worship.

"Is what you said true, Manny? Will there eventually be a Trainer strong enough to catch legendary Pokémon?"

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. For there to be balance in this world, there _must_ be humans who can stand toe-to-toe with the mightiest Pokémon. Ash Ketchum is one such Trainer, and so is Lance."

"You mean _FabuLance_."

"Shut up! He deserves that title. I'm gonna call Hanny."

"Manny, you contradicted yourself. If there is a Trainer who can capture the legendaries, then the world will be _unbalanced_. The world will be at the mercy of that Trainer. I think the world, as it is, is already balanced. Humans don't have to overcome the gods in order to find their place in this world. Shouldn't they work _with_ the gods, instead of seeking to dominate them?"

"Don't be so naive, Mint. I plan to capture a legendary one day, not for conquest, but to prove that I can."

"That's not a good reason," Mint muttered.

Manny dialed Hanny.

"You're ignoring the potential of the human spirit. If we can capture them, we can govern this world as _we_ see fit, instead of living in fear of their power. Hello, Hanny? Yeah, we're ready to leave Hearthome. We're at the church. No, Mint didn't swallow his tongue yet."

"But I'm working on it! She said it'd make me a better Trainer!"

"Okay, we'll meet you there."

He put away the phone.

"She's waiting for us in Solaceon Town."

"You go ahead, I'm gonna take a walk with Togepi in Amity Square."

"See you later, then."

They went their separate ways.

888

"Why can't I take Togepi for a walk?" Mint blinked at the woman behind the counter.

"I'm sorry, sir, only your Monferno may accompany you."

"Monferno isn't in the same UNIVERSE of cuteness that Togepi is! No offense, pal."

"Mon-mon," Monferno shrugged it off, knowing full well that Togepi outclassed him by several orders of magnitude on the cuteness scale.

"I enforce the rules, sir, I didn't make them."

"I want to speak with your manager!"

"He's on vacation in the Resort Area… sorry, let me rephrase that: he's _always_ on vacation in the Resort Area. That's why I'm in charge."

"You… you don't want Togepi to _cry_,do you?" Mint whispered. The lady raised her eyebrows.

"I have been trained to resist the cries of the innocent."

"Uh-oh, he's starting to cry!"

Piteous mewls of sorrow echoed around Amity Park. Every Pokémon and human within the park that heard the lamentation of Togepi became so depressed that they, too, began to cry. They all began filing out of the park. The lady behind the counter began to panic.

"I'll be fired if the manager hears of this! This is the only job where I'm paid for doing nothing all day! You and your Togepi can go in!"

"Brilliant," Mint said, grinning as he strolled victoriously into the park. "I'm beginning to understand why Manny and Hanny like manipulating people so much."

Togepi quit his crying act, chirping with delight that the ruse had worked. Their scheme paid off: lying discarded in the park was an Amulet Coin; the most valuable item any Trainer could possess.

888

Before he left Hearthome, Manny visited the house beside the Pokémon Centre, as a strange smell was coming from it. He soon learned the cause.

"Phew! This place stinks of Eevee droppings!"

"You, boy! Please take an Eevee! Please!" a girl with a blonde ponytail begged, desperation in her eyes. "I've been living with these little monsters for a month because that bastard Bill sent them to me!"

Eevee were crawling over every available inch of her household. The smell was a physical force battering Manny's senses. He held his nose.

"Uh, sure. I wanted a Vaporeon, anyway."

"Your party is full!"

"What?"

"I said, your party of Pokémon is full! Here, you can use my PC to store one of them."

"How does that even work?"

"I'll show you."

She swatted Eevee off her monitor and keyboard. After wirelessly connecting Manny's Pokédex to her PC, she brought up Manny's private storage utility.

"You haven't stored a single Pokémon!"

"I only have six."

"I'll store your Bibarel, then."

To Manny's utter bewilderment, one of the Pokéballs on his belt disappeared in a flash of light. His Bibarel appeared in one of the fourteen storage boxes on the PC.

"How did you DO that?"

"_Bluetooth_."

She disconnected his Pokédex, grabbed the nearest Eevee and shoved it into his arms. The tiny, filthy creature burbled and wiggled in Manny's hands.

"Thank you SO MUCH! My name's Bebe; I took Bill's Pokémon Storage System and upgraded it. He got so jealous that he sent me a shipping crate FULL of Eevee, pretending they were a gift in recognition of my accomplishment!"

"Then why don't you store them on the computer?"

"I can't buy Pokéballs for all these monsters!" Bebe griped. "You have to put them in a ball before they can be stored online, and being a computer genius doesn't pay much!"

"Uh, right. I'll be going now."

"Please take another one! I beg of you!" she sobbed, clinging to his leg. "You can sell them for their pelts, I don't care!"

"Let go of me!" Manny kicked her off, then fled with his malodorous Eevee. He ran inside the Pokémon Centre to bathe the besmirched beast. When it was dry and sweet-smelling, he shoved a Water Stone in the tiny Pokémon's face.

"How does this thing work? Evolve, already!"

After poking it with the cerulean stone a few times, the Eevee began to shine with the brilliance of the cosmos. What evolved was too heavy for Manny to carry; he had to set him on the ground.

"Excellent; a Vaporeon. You are the final member of my team, and probably the most crucial, since you'll be taught Ice Beam! You will slay dragons!"

"Por?" the mermaid Pokémon tilted his head with uncertainty, tail flapping.

"Return," Manny commanded, popping open a Net Ball. His new Vaporeon became energy, trapped inside the mechanism.

888

Unbeknownst to Manny, his friend Mint, having concluded his walk through Amity Square, ventured into Bebe's house, fascinated by the fantastic smell her dwelling produced. Togepi retreated inside his shell, refusing to come out.

The blonde boy held his nose. "Phew! Right next to a Pokémon Centre, too! You'd think they would complain!"

"Another one!" Bebe cried, bursting out of a pile of squirming Eevee. "In the name of all that is holy, take one!"

She thrust a dirty Eevee into his arms. Mint wrinkled his nose even further, retreating from the house before the stink seeped into his clothing.

"I am SO giving this little guy a bath before we leave Hearthome!" he declared. He not only cleansed the creature, but groomed it until its fur shone. Thus began Mint's relationship with the newest addition to his team.


	13. Chapter 13: Solaceon Town and Ruins

Deciding that the rest of the city wasn't worth exploring, Manny ventured east onto Route 209. He acquired a Good Rod from a fisherman on a wharf, but as his Pokémon team was already complete, he had no use for it. He had Vaporeon battle every trainer he came across, including a young child named Danielle, who couldn't have been more than six years old. She was wearing a Pikachu costume, complete with perky ears and lightning-bolt tail.

"I don't want to be a Trainer. I want to be a Pokémon!" she proclaimed in a squeaky voice.

"I see that the furry community trains children from a young age," Manny sighed.

Danielle blinked. "What's a furry?"

She summoned her Pichu who received a sound beating from Vaporeon.

"A word of advice, kid: dress up as anime characters, like Integra Hellsing, or Vash the Stampede. Heck, you can even dress up as Sailor Moon! It's less creepy than cosplaying as Pokémon and other animals."

"B… but I want to be a Pokémon," Danielle sniffled, big tears welling up in her eyes.

"Just stay away from Pokémon furries at all costs!"

"What's a 'furry'? I'll have to look it up on Google!"

Manny threw up his hands in defeat and moved on, having successfully corrupted his first youth. "Egad! I just cursed someone to a life of shame and loneliness. This is what the _Blizzard_ team must have felt like when they released _World of Warcraft_."

888

Solaceon Town was the quietest, most laid-back community Manny had yet encountered. Not even Floaroma was this relaxed. Ranchers and farmers of all ages drifted here and there, like Drifloon on the wind, not raising their voices, content to let the world go by while the sun sunk towards the horizon.

Manny caught the attention of a cowgirl. "Hi, good evening. Where's Hannah's home?"

She pointed, saying, "East of town, in the woods before the ruins, third house on the left."

Hannah's house was like every other private dwelling in Sinnoh; identical to every other residence within its community. To describe it would be pointless, as nobody would be interested in (or remember) her white two-storey home with a green-tiled roof that sat among three exact copies of itself. There was, however, a warm, scrumptious aroma wafting through an open window.

"Your home is a black hole of creativity and originality," Manny greeted her upon entering.

"From what I've seen on _Google Earth_, your home isn't exactly the ninth wonder of the world."

She was having a dinner of chicken and biscuits in the kitchen. She didn't offer him any. He was surprised to see her barefoot, wearing home clothes.

"I'm fed up of traveling, Manny. I'm a millionaire now, darn it, I don't have to go anywhere or do anything."

"The money's gonna run out sooner than you think," Manny said.

He sat at the table, stealing a hot, buttery biscuit from her plate. He eyed the pot on the stove from which the delectable odor was steaming.

"You're not gonna change my mind. I happen to like going to school, ya know; it's boring as hell, but it's less complicated than babysitting a pair of twits and dealing with clinically insane adults on a daily basis."

"We look out for each other," he spoke through a mouthful of biscuit. He nabbed a bowl from the cupboard, helping himself to a generous ladle of vegetable and chicken stew. "We've shared experiences and learned things no school could ever teach."

"Think you're a little bit closer to changing me? You're never winning me over; you're wasting time."

"Win you over? I smelt stew and came in here to have some," he chuckled through a full, very happy mouth. He stood from the table, walking to the door, still chewing. "Look, if you like school, _thinking_ about how the world _should_ work, that's awesome; the world needs critical thinkers. Meanwhile, me and the other twit will be running around, _understanding _how the world _does _work. We'll visit next week to take more stew; it's delicious!"

Before his head went out the door, a Pokéball cracked against the back of it.

"You're not better than me, Manny."

"I never said I was."

"I challenge you to a Pokémon battle, three on three, with the three Pokémon we have in common."

"Okay," Manny agreed equitably, stepping outside. They summoned their respective Grotle. Grass-type moves were pointless so they bit each other. Manny's Grotle defeated Orric in the biting competition, but Zeke's Flame Wheel cut victory short, so Manny summoned his flaming mare. After stomping each other, Zeke triumphed over the weaker female, as Hanny had used him more than any of her other Pokémon. Manny's Luxio took down the injured Zeke with Spark, only to be crunched in Kipp's strong jaws.

"That proves it; even though you spout about understanding the world, you're the weaker trainer," Hanny scoffed.

Manny smiled. "Maybe, but I have more fun than you do." He returned his fallen Luxio. "This battle showed me that you ARE serious about being a Trainer. Had you lost, I wouldn't have said anything, but the very fact that you won means that you care about the journey we've had together. Don't give up on your passion, Hanny. If my _Mom _didn't give up hers, then you shouldn't give up yours, either."

Hanny shook her head. "Get away from me."

She slammed the door.

"Can you get away from who you are?" Manny wondered quietly, returning to the Solaceon Pokémon Centre for treatment.

888

When his Pokémon were healthy again, he walked past Hannah's home again, but this time heading for Solaceon Ruins. There was a cipher carved into the stone wall facing him. Try as he might, Manny couldn't make heads or tails of it.

"Weird squiggly things," a voice muttered right behind Manny, causing the boy to jump.

"Do you make it a habit of sneaking up on people?"

There was a Ruins Maniac behind him, who was glaring at the stone cipher like it had slapped his mother.

"Each symbol is the exact image of an Unown, the enigma Pokémon which inhabit these ruins," the Ruins Maniac explained, adjusting his spectacles. "However, that doesn't help us decipher it."

"That first symbol looks like a 'T'," Manny squinted sideways at the thing. The Ruins Maniac sputtered in contempt.

"Baseless assumptions! Wishful thinking! Ruins Maniacs like myself have studied this and other Unown ciphers for centuries; millennia, even! We're no closer to figuring it out than you are!"

Another voice cut in.

"It's a good thing I'm here, then."

They turned around. Manny grinned.

"Hanny!"

She was wearing full traveling gear, backpack and all, a fresh determination in her usually skeptical eyes. Manny almost ran to embrace her, but remembered who she was. Cured of his temporary insanity, he cleared his throat. "Please enlighten us."

"There are twenty-eight Unown. Each Unown represents a letter in the Roman alphabet, except for two of them, which represent an exclamation mark and question mark, respectively. Look: the first symbol looks like a 'T', and it is. The whole thing reads, 'Top right, lower left, top right, top left, top left, lower left'."

Manny squinted once more at the symbols.

"Now that you've said it, they really do look like common letters!" he remarked.

"I figured it out when I was five," Hanny said with disdain. "My parents used to take me here for picnics."

The Ruins Maniac cried out like a wounded Stantler.

"It DOES say 'top right, lower left' and so on! But what do they mean? Are they the karmic paths that a soul must travel in order to achieve enlightenment?"

"They're directions for navigating these ruins."

"Oh," the grown man said, crestfallen. "I like my version better."

"Well, you can spend your life _thinking_ about the way things _should_ work, but the reality is different, isn't it, Manny?"

"It sure is, Hanny!"

The Ruins Maniac brightened up a bit, a wicked spark of creativity in his eyes.

"I think I'll write a self-help book. This world is filled with gullible fools who are cowardly and superstitious, seeking guidance rather than thinking for themselves and finding their own path in life. As long as the Internet never learns of your translation, I can be rich off _my _interpretation of the twenty-eight symbols!"

"Good idea. That way I can loot all the Unown treasure for myself," Hannah said, shaking hands with the corrupt guru.

"We'll both be rich! RICH! I think my first chapter will be the saddest story I know; that'll draw them in! Second chapter I'll put them through a guilt trip to break them, and third chapter I'll make them angry at everyone around them, so they have an outlet for their self-hatred..."

Hannah thought she saw the shadow of Ahriman follow the Ruins Maniac as he scuttled away, rubbing his hands together.

888

At the bottom floor of the ruins, the Trainers found another cipher carved into the wall.

Hannah narrated: "_Friendship. All lives touch other lives to create something anew and alive_."

"That's nice. Hey, what are these things?"

Manny discovered a nugget of pure gold, the Hidden Machine 'Defog', another one of the elemental Plates that they had dug up in the Underground, and an odd-looking and odd-smelling jar of incense. This elemental plate, however, had writing engraved on it.

Manny translated: "_When the universe was created, its shards became this Plate._"

"It's yet another Mind Plate, but how come this one has writing on it?"

"Beats me," Manny shrugged, pocketing the gold nugget, "but we got some sweet loot."

They used an Escape Rope to exit the ruins.

"Hanny, I'm so glad you're back that you can have this Good Rod a fisherman on Route 209 gave me." 

"Pffffff, I got a Good Rod from that guy and rode all the way back to the southern part of Route 205 to catch a Finneon, along with everything else I ran into. You haven't caught a thing other than your own Pokémon, have you?"

"It saves time," Manny grumbled.


	14. Chapter 14: Veilstone City

Having recharged at the Pokémon Centre, they headed north out of town after buying necessities and selling their loot at the PokéMart.

The clones beamed at them, waving. "Please come again!"

"And they used to call you a witch." Manny snorted in disgust. "Funny how money reveals people's natures."

"It's kinda sad that you and Mint are the only people who like me for _me_, and not how strong or rich I am."

"What about your parents?"

"Pffffft, they're adults; they don't count."

The dynamic duo encountered a flock of Psyduck blocking Route 210 that led northwest to Celestic Town.

"Get migraines elsewhere!" Hanny yelled at the lot, but they didn't budge. She plucked a Pokéball from her belt but Manny restrained her.

"Using brute force against them won't work; it'll just make their headaches worse, which will increase their psychic power. They'll beat us to a pulp."

Beside the forlorn flock was the Café Cabin. Inside, Manny and Hanny pulverised the Trainer clientele before purchasing a dozen bottles each of MooMoo milk.

"Your Pokémon will love it!" the girl behind the counter promised.

"This isn't for our Pokémon; it's for _us_," Manny corrected her.

"Yeah, we're growing kids, for crying out loud; our Pokémon get enough nutrition at Pokémon Centres," Hanny scoffed.

They went, as ever, east; this time along Route 215, both slurping fattening milk. While pounding the pugilists that populated the path plagued by perpetual precipitation, Manny procured another elemental Plate.

"It's a Fist Plate, with a different engraving: '_The power of defeated giants infuses this Plate_'."

"How come the hundreds we found Underground weren't engraved?" Hanny wondered, wiping raindrops from her glasses.

"A better question is why anyone would just leave it lying around. I think they're being left here on purpose for us to find!"

"Yeah, it's not like we're the only Trainers who travel this route, right?"

"There's Dawn, but she lags behind us. Mint is so distracted catching Pokémon and fighting Trainers I don't think he'd notice if the sky fell down."

888

They entered the stonewall city named Veilstone, both soaked to the bone. The very first thing they noticed was a pair of Team Galactic grunts guarding a warehouse. Deciding that getting dry took priority over crime fighting, they searched for the Pokémon Centre.

"Why are all the buildings built higher than the streets? It's very inconvenient for navigation!" Hanny groused within minutes of sightseeing. Her shoes made squishy noises.

"Ugh! I can't find the Pokémon Centre!" Manny growled, looking in every direction.

"Don't you have a Town Map?" Hanny said.

Manny smacked his forehead then dug out the map. Half an hour later, their Pokémon were in tiptop shape, but more importantly their bodies and clothes were warm and dry. Hannah made a point of visiting all the unlocked houses in the city. Sure enough, she was rewarded with some sweet loot and a free Pokémon.

"I found him outside the Team Galactic HQ. He must have run away from them," the man of the house said. Hannah hugged the Porygon he gave her.

"I'll take good care of him!" she promised, scuttling outside with glee.

"What's that thing? A Porygon?" Manny cocked an eyebrow.

"Your name is Glitch," she told the newest addition to her team.

"Gon~" Glitch chimed like an alarm clock, his blocky head spinning a full 360 degrees.

"He is so adorable!" Hanny squealed. Manny shook his head.

"I'm trading him to you," Hanny said after making Glitch hold the Up-Grade she had stolen from Team Galactic HQ in Eterna.

"Porygon don't have a gender!"

"He's a boy because I said so!" she said, handing him to Manny. At once, the Up-Grade and Glitch began to shine brighter than the sun in the sky. The Pokémon and the item it held fused together in mystic harmony, producing the sleeker, smoother model of Porygon2.

"PO-RY-GON," Glitch honked, twitching in Manny's arms.

"Eeeeeeeee!" Hanny shrieked with delight, grabbing the newly evolved Glitch from Manny. "He's even CUTER than before!"

The Trainers skipped the Pokémon MegaMart and Gym in favour of the casino named 'Game Corner'. Sitting at a slot machine, who should they find but Looker?

"Ah, it is you, yes. Examine, if you will, the reels. The Team Galactic logo, it is here. Further investigation is needed, and I am just the man to do it. Also, where the masses gather, so too does information… Ack. My streak is broken."

"You're addicted to gambling and use it as an excuse to spy on others," Manny said. Looker, however, was too busy pushing coins into the machine to reply.

"I don't feel like spending the next few days playing the slots to gather enough coins, so I'm going to buy enough coins to purchase Ice Beam for Vaporeon and Flamethrower for my Ponyta," Manny told Hanny.

"I don't feel like wasting my time here, either, so I'll buy the same TM's for Minnie and Zeke."

"Who's Minnie?"

"My Finneon. She's part of my main team now! But more importantly Manny, won't people ask where we got all that money?"

"Hanny, they're allowing us CHILDREN inside a CASINO. I don't think they care where _our_ money comes from, as long as it lines _their_ pockets!"

They each got a Coin Case from a clown in one of the neighbouring houses. Returning to the casino, each Trainer spent _four hundred thousand_ Pokédollars buying twenty thousand Coins. The casino staff had to abandon the Coin Cases and use wheelbarrows to carry the glittering tokens to the coin exchange counter next door. Hanny and Manny were presented with the most useful TM's in the world and immediately taught them to their respective Pokémon. With that errand complete, they headed for the local Gym.

"Hi Dawn! How's the shopping?" Hanny asked the girl, who was just leaving the place. Dawn looked tanner. Her skin had acquired a healthy glow, as had her eyes.

"Oh, Hanny! They have the best department store ever! They even sell Poffins and Berries!"

"We'll clear them out after we get the Fen Badge. Have you seen Mint?"

"No, but he's one of the certified Trainers in this Gym, so he must be on his way to Pastoria City by now. I'll see you guys later!"

As soon as Dawn walked off, a bald, half-naked muscular man wearing a Gyarados mask burst out of the Gym, singing with a voice as big as the sea.

"The ring is my roiling sea. The towering waves shaped me. Crash! Crash! Crasher Wake! Crash! Crash! Crasher Wake! I'm the tidal wave of power to wash you away! Put out the fire, Crasher Wake! Run from electricity, Crasher Wake! Ah, ah, aaaah! The ring is my sea."

He eyed the boy and girl staring at him.

"Maylene is very tough! I know this because of my learnings! I'm the triple-threat Gym Leader in Pokémon, wrestling and song. I'm Crasher Wake of Pastoria Gym! We'll meet again!"

Without bothering to wait for their reply he charged past them into the unknown.

"Okay, I'll admit that we've met some weirdoes, but a masked wrestler who runs about half-naked _in public_ trumps everything we've encountered so far," Hanny said, shaking her head.

888

Before they even entered the Gym, the weirdo with the sunglasses hid behind a Pokémon statue.

"Don't let her hurt me!" he begged Manny.

Manny wagged a finger. "We would report you to Looker if he weren't stalking us as well."

"You guys know that loony detective? He follows me around calling me a suspicious adult!"

"The way you're dressed, I'm surprised you haven't been arrested for public indecency. Now stop bothering us."

"Yes ma'am," the weirdo whimpered. "Just so you know, this Gym uses only Fighting-type."

Manny snapped his fingers.

"I completely forgot! Hanny, I'm gonna trade Kadabra to you right now."

"Okay."

Kadabra evolved into an Alakazam once Hanny released him under her jurisdiction.

"Thanks Hanny! Now send him back to me."

"No. Let's go kick butt, Alakazam!"

"Kazam!" the mustachioed Pokémon obeyed, following his mistress. Manny could only watch in consternation as his Pokémon annihilated every Trainer in the Gym, including Maylene. Hanny rubbed the Cobble Badge in Manny's face upon her return.

"This isn't funny, Hanny! Give back Alakazam!"

"He's so powerful! I'm gonna keep him."

"HANNY! GIMME BACK MY POKéMON!"

"Fiiiiiiiiine you big baby. I'm not waiting on you; I'll be in Pastoria City."

Manny clutched Alakazam protectively while Hanny mounted Zeke and galloped away.

"I won't let the mean girl use you again!" Manny promised.

"Ala?" the Psychic critter blinked. After a short trip to the Pokémon Centre, Manny used him precisely the same way Hanny had.

"We're the Karate Quads!" the Gym Trainers shouted. "We each strike a blow for a different ideal!"

"LOOOOOOOOOVE!"

"COURAAAAAAGE!"

"HOOOOOOOOOPE!"

"TEEEEEEEEEARS!"

"Alakazam, use Psybeam."

"_NOOOOOOOOOO!_"

The Karate Quads in ruins, Manny confronted their master. She was a young girl with pink eyes and pink hair curled into two spikes on either side of her head. She was barefoot, wearing a blue vest, blue and pink fingerless gloves and baggy white pants. There was a bandage on her nose and left shoulder. Most shocking of all, she looked almost the same age as he.

"I don't know what it means to be strong, or how I became the Gym Leader," she admitted.

"Then why did the Pokémon League allow you to become one?"

"They don't care who becomes a Gym Leader as long as they have Pokémon of a certain type and level."

"I can't believe you're tougher than the Karate Quads; those guys are grown men! Wouldn't combat training cause muscular degeneration in someone as young as you, Maylene?"

"Yeah, my growth is gonna be stunted for life and I'll probably never be able to have children, but I'll do my best as Gym Leader! I take battling very seriously."

So did Manny, who took down her Meditite, Machoke and Lucario with pristine ease thanks to Alakazam and Ponyta. After admitting defeat, Maylene handed over the Cobble Badge and the TM for Drain Punch.

"I don't know what it means to be strong. I don't know how much effort goes into being strong… But being with Pokémon lets us keep making the effort, doesn't it?"

"Maylene, please give up martial arts before you completely wreck your body. There's still a chance that it isn't too late."

"I'm sorry Manny; I can't stop unless the Sinnoh League retires me."

She looked over Manny's shoulder at her broken and despondent Karate Quads.

"Guys, I'm hungry! Let's go out for more pizza!"

"Yes, Master!" arose their joyous chorus.

888

Dawn ran up to Manny as soon as the Gym doors closed behind him.

_"Why can't people leave me alone for one day?"_ Manny thought while the girl caught her breath.

"Manny, some Team Galactic goons took my Pokédex away from me! I asked the Detective in the Game Corner to help me, but he was too busy playing the slots!"

"Brilliant. I'm beginning to feel like Batman. Where are they?"

"I'll be waiting in front of their warehouse."

Taking a minute to fully heal his Pokémon at the Centre, he met Dawn at the entrance to town where the warehouse sat.

"That goon on the left is the one that took my Pokédex! Go, Clefairy!"

"Go, Grotle!"

Upon their defeat, the grunts handed over Dawn's Pokédex and retreated inside the warehouse. Right on schedule, Looker ran up to them, coins falling out of his trench coat's voluminous pockets.

"Have no fear, I have come running. I heard of children feuding with the Team Galactic. It turns out, of course, to be you."

Dawn sputtered before she found her voice. "It's that gambling addict from the Game Corner who wouldn't help me!"

Looker folded his arms. "You insult me to my face? How very uncouth of you."

Dawn's jaw hung open. She then turned away, flicking her hand. "Okay, that's it. I'm outta here."

They watched her stalk off, muttering about unreliable adults.

"It is of no matter," Looker assured Manny. "Of more interest is the criminal behavior of the Team Galactic. They attempt to steal the belongings of a child? The scale of their criminality, it seems rather miniscule. The triviality of their action makes them more sinister, perhaps. Their warehouse needs investigation. Come with me, and we'll take a look!"

Inside was empty. Looker banged on the rust-encrusted double doors sealing off the rest of the building.

"Hmm… A key is necessary for us to go on. For the time being, we cannot give chase to those who run away."

He looked around, discovering an item ball.

"Ah, this Hidden Machine… It is of the hidden move, Fly. Manny, this, you should be keeping. It will not do to leave this item here to be used by the Team Galactic. So, we did not learn very much from this exercise… no matter. What concerns me is what I have overheard in the Game Corner: the Team Galactic has transported something to Pastoria City. What they are up to, I do not know, but I have bad feelings about it."

"Come with me, then."

"No, I must wait here for backup. Evidence, we must collect, to build a case against the Team Galactic!"

"But you don't _have_ backup. I've never seen you with anyone else."

Looker wouldn't reply, so Manny left him there, and taught his Staravia how to use the hidden move Fly. The first thing he did was command her to fly him all the way back home to TwinLeaf.

The first time Keira flapped her wings and pushed off the ground, Manny screamed. He tumbled backwards and fell off. Keira circled, landed, pecked at his shoes. Manny steeled himself the second time but still screamed when he saw the houses rapidly becoming smaller. There was nothing between him and two hundred feet of empty air but his small Staravia. He whimpered. He wanted to throw up. His head felt like a lead weight that would never move his chin from his chest, because if he looked up he would fall and fall and fall.

Then, when the terror was so great he thought his heart would stop, he looked up.

He was flying. They had left the trees behind, they were nothing but a dark green carpet against the light green plains.

He was free.

He started to cry. All the anxiety and fear and sickness melted away from him with every beat of Keira's wings. He was flying and he was alive. He was part of the sky, now. Keira climbed higher, then they were among the clouds, then above even those, soaring on nothing but sunlight and feathers and the improbable physics-defying power of the Hidden Machine.

He lifted his right fist and pointed it forward into the deep blue yonder, his left fist tucked against the shoulder. One word passed from his lips as tears streamed down his face:

"Superman."


	15. Chapter 15: Twinleaf and Valor Lakefront

His town hadn't changed in the slightest. It was as though the entire area was fixed in an eternal time loop, never to develop, never to change despite the months he'd been gone. Not even the snow had melted, and it was April; the start of Summer. His house was in the same place.

"Hi, Mom," Manny called out, a bit dizzy and overawed from his first flight.

"Hi, Manny! I just made lunch."

"It's good to be home," he said, sitting at the table while a mouthwatering scent of marinara sauce filled his head. "My Staravia flew me here."

"That's not physically possible, honey! A thirty-four pound bird can't carry an eighty-five pound boy!"

"But… I just flew over here with her… it was so beautiful and I felt weightless and I was a superhero and I could save the whole world..."

"Here, have some lasagna!"

"Oh boy, lasagna!"

The broken law of physics forgotten, Manny dug into the lasagna until he was fat and happy. He released his Pokémon so that his Mom could feed them, too.

"Your Pokémon are looking tough! Nothing can stop you now!" his mother praised him. Manny blushed. She lifted a finger. "Do you polish your Gym Badges?"

"Nah, I'd have to polish them every day, so I'm letting a nice layer of rust settle on them."

"Let me show you my Gym Badges and Contest Ribbons!"

She flounced out of the room. When she returned she whirled around, her hands full: she had all eight Badges, along with the Normal, Great, Ultra and Master Rank Beauty Ribbons. She had polished them all to a mirror finish, reflecting his wide eyes.

That Master ribbon meant the woman standing before him, his mother whom he only _thought_ he knew, had bested every Breeder in the region. This ranked her above the likes of the legendary Elite Four. It took Manny's breath away and he had to remember to speak. "I know you were an Ace Trainer before Dad got you pregnant with me. You didn't try any Contests whatsoever until I went missing in January?"

"I needed something to distract me. I couldn't very well sit at home all day chatting with Mint's Mom about the two of you; I'd get fat!"

"Mom!"

"Sorry dear but it's the truth."

Her Persian, who had won all those Ribbons, slunk into the kitchen from outside. The weight of years was gone; now she moved with the serene grace of a dancer. Unlike the aging feline Manny had known for the past ten years, Persian was now a queen; a truly gorgeous specimen. Her golden tan fur was so smooth and bright it resembled heavy silk in touch and feel as she purred loudly, nuzzling Manny's shoulder while he sat at the table. Now she was just as big as Manny and weighed almost as much. Her ruby eyes were fiery and intense; her whiskers resembled scimitars; her teeth were brilliant ivory blades. Manny had to stare. Even the circular gem between Persian's eyes was clearer and glinted with inner crimson flame.

"Persian was nowhere near this big or beautiful when I left home. She's... an empress."

"I fed her dry Poffins; she loves them the most. I made the Poffins with Fantina who you met and another young lady named Cynthia. They also helped me groom her for Contests and even chose a dress for me to wear!"

"It wasn't just them Mom. You're a great Trainer too!"

"Oh Manny you're making me blush!"

Her face was colouring like a rose. Persian rubbed against her Trainer who petted her fondly.

"I feel the same way I did when I was ten years old and just caught a tiny little Meowth."

"Giddy?"

"That's the word!"

Manny stopped. He ran over what his mother had just said and made some fast calculations.

"Wait… your Pokédex says you caught Persian fifteen years ago, right? So that means you had me…"

"When I was fifteen, yes."

Manny balked, his eyes threatening to explode. "Mom, you're TWENTY-FIVE years old?"

She placed her arms akimbo. "Hey, going on a Pokémon adventure _and_ getting pregnant ages you prematurely okay?"

"You look the same age as Mint's Mom!"

"That's because Mint's Mom is the same age as me!"

At this point Manny fainted.

888

When he awoke, Manny was in his bed wearing home clothes. Judging by the light outside it was evening. His Mom was downstairs chatting with Mint's Mom who was stroking the vermillion gem between Persian's eyes. The latter was purring so loudly she made the floorboards vibrate.

"Hi Manny we were just talking about you!" Mint's Mom said, running a hand through her brown hair.

"I can't believe you both got pregnant at the same time," Manny blurted most irreverently, but the women didn't seem to mind. In fact, they shared a secret smile.

"Johanna and I started our Pokémon journey together," Mint's Mom said, looking at Manny's Mom. "After four and a half years, we met a pair of boys who had also started their journey together around the same time we did."

"That was Palmer and your dad, Manny," his mother explained. "After getting her pregnant Palmer married Mint's Mom and built the Battle Tower in the Fight Area."

Mint's Mom frowned at Manny. "That father of yours didn't even marry Johanna! When she told him she was pregnant he ran away somewhere. He could have easily been a Battle Tower Tycoon like my husband!"

"So Palmer, Mint's dad, knows where my Dad is?"

"Doubtful. He was too busy building his Tower to keep tabs on his friends or family," Mint's mother said with the air of a woman accustomed to disappointment. "He wasn't even around when Mint was born!"

Manny rubbed his eyes. "This… this is way too much. Mom, where are my Pokémon?"

"They're outside playing with the neighbours."

Manny balled his fists. "My Pokémon do not _play_! They are engines of destruction!" he said, running upstairs so that he could change into his traveling clothes. After slinging his backpack over his shoulder he bolted out the door with barely a word of farewell to both women.

He set about gathering his six Pokémon, who were making fast friends with the neighbours: Grotle gave Keira and some lady a ride on his back; Vaporeon watered another lady's garden; Alakazam juggled for a small, cheering crowd; Ponyta stoked a barbeque pit; Luxio helped some homeowners drive Rattata out of their kitchen. Manny returned them all after their tasks were completed.

"Come back soon so we can have more fun with them, Manny!" one of his neighbours called out.

"I've been living here for ten years and I haven't learned any of your names."

"That's okay; we're accustomed to being written off!" another neighbour laughed. "We're the designated hometown, after all!"

Manny hopped onto his Staravia, ignoring the fact that the bird was less than half his weight. They flew all the way back to Veilstone City. The second flight of his life wasn't as magical as the first but he held his left fist back and pointed his right fist all the way forward, singing the Superman theme all the way. Upon landing he headed south along Route 214.

888

After surviving the ubiquitous tall grassy patches and Trainers spoiling for a fight he saw on his Town Map that he was near Lake Valor. Blocking the entrance to the lake however were two cameramen, one of whom suffered from insufferable smugness.

"I filmed the red Gyarados at the Lake of Rage!" he boasted to Manny.

"The one Lance caught?"

"The very same."

"That has over a billion views on _YouTube_."

The cameraman growled. "And I am richer for it? No! That's why I'm hanging around here, hoping to film the legendary Pokémon said to inhabit this lake!"

"Hey!" the other cameraman rounded on his companion. "You said you were here to film nature!"

"The legendary Pokémon IS a part of nature!"

"That shot belongs to me!" the second cameraman yelled, punching him in the face. While the men fell to fisticuffs, taking care not to damage their very expensive recording equipment while inflicting maximum damage on each other, Manny hurried further south to Valor Lakefront.

This hilly area was home to the elite upper-class of Sinnoh, boasting perfectly manicured lawns, topiaries and white marble walkways. No villa's door was locked so Manny chose one at random. Inside there was a lone man staring out a window, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Good evening sir."

The man turned. He was short, wore a brown shirt, black slacks, and had fine black windswept hair. His black eyes were unnatural. Every adult Manny had ever encountered during his short lifespan had looked at him with either condescension or adoration. This man however was looking at him… with clarity. The man did not see through him as a condescending adult would, only seeing his faults; neither did he look at Manny with clouded vision, as his mother always did, unable to see his faults. He looked at Manny in a straightforward guileless manner; his steady gaze accepting and embracing both the good and the bad aspects of the boy.

"Hi, I'm the game director!"

"Oh, cool! What kind of games?"

"The one you are playing right now."

"But I left my _Nintendo DS_ at home."

The man smiled. As to the meaning of that mysterious smile, Manny could only speculate.

"Return to me when you complete the Sinnoh Pokédex. Return to me a second time when you complete the National Pokédex."

"Uh, okay. I'll be going, then. Capturing every Pokémon _on Earth _is going to take some time. Maybe the legendaries will cooperate when I tell them _you_ sent me."

The man gave a Mona Lisa smile. "Until we meet again, Manny."

It was not until Manny was ten paces away from the villa did he realise that he hadn't told the man his name. He paused, reasoned that the gentleman had seen him on Jubilife TV, and moved on.

The Seven Stars Restaurant was a fine place for Manny to have dinner and several Trainer battles. Thanks to the high level of these Trainers, Manny's Luxio evolved into Luxray, and Vaporeon, with his mighty Ice Beam, fought his fair share. As the sun set, he rested inside Hotel Grand Lake with his newly evolved Pokémon. Unfortunately, the hotel had no vacancies, thus he was forced to seek boarding elsewhere.

He tried going east along Route 222 towards Sunyshore City, but a guard stopped him, claiming that the city was suffering from a blackout.

"Sir, why do they call the place 'Sunyshore' and not 'Sunnyshore'?"

"They ran out of room."

"Room for what?"

"The name. They're keeping the extra 'n' in case of emergencies."

"What emergencies?"

"Young man, I do not question the ancestors, I only honour them."

Having run out of options and hours left in the day, Manny mounted his bicycle to coast downhill along Route 213 towards Pastoria City.

888

For the second time during his journey, Manny arrived at the ocean. He paused to suck in deep breaths of salty air while contemplating the unfathomable vast blue yonder upon which the drowning sun cast its golden veil. The tide was high so he had to hug the rock wall while pedaling west along it. The Dowsing Machine on his Pokétch revealed several large pearls and a Heart Scale hidden in the fine sand. Further up the beach was a house built on sand with a billboard that advertised the residence of a 'Dr. Footstep'. Even though it was nightfall Manny knocked and entered.

"Good night. Dr. Footstep, I presume?"

"You presume correctly. I can determine the relationship between you and your Pokémon by looking at their footsteps. Have your Pokémon walk before me."

Manny did so. Dr. Footstep grunted to himself, a broad smile spreading across his face.

"Manny… is a remarkable human and Trainer. With him, we can always be the best Grotle, Staravia, Luxray, Alakazam and Ponyta that we can be. We notice wild Pokémon eyeing us with envy."

Manny felt his ears burning.

"They really say all that?"

"Yes, except for your Vaporeon; he has neutral feelings for you. The rest of your Pokémon deserve a Footstep Ribbon each!"

Despite their various physiological features – especially Ponyta, who required a fireproof medal – Dr. Footstep fastened a Footstep Ribbon to each of them.

"Manny, you have raised your Pokémon with love and they return your affection in equal measure, even though you have not ridden Ponyta since you got your bike."

"Whoa, you learned that from watching her walk?"

"No, it's because I was once a little boy myself."

Manny stroked her neck. "I'm sorry Ponyta. I'll evolve you, I promise!"

His mare whinnied happily. Dr. Footstep grunted approval.

"Return to me when you bond with Vaporeon."

"Thank you sir. If you don't mind me asking, how do you support yourself? You didn't charge me any money to perform your unique ability."

"Oh, you are but a child. It is the _adults_ who come to me that I swindle out of house and home, _especially_ those aristocrats at Valor Lakefront. They are so desperate for recognition, even from their own Pokémon, that they visit me night and day to find out whether their Pokémon love them. You won't believe how many lonely women I see on a daily basis, trying to replace a failed marriage with Pokémon."

When Manny left the house and was alone with his Pokémon, the emotions that had burned his ears bright red found expression.

"Group hug!"

They were only too happy to comply, except for Vaporeon who gave a half-hearted attempt at nosing Manny.

"I haven't said it before, but I love you guys," Manny sniffled, letting the tears fall. "At first, I didn't care; I just wanted my videogames back, but I've been through _so much_ with you all except Vaporeon, of course. No offense, Vaporeon."

"Va-por," he replied equably.

"I didn't realise how much I cared for you all until Dr. Footstep told me what _you_ all felt for _me_. I'm not gonna make that mistake again! I'll be sure to let you all know how much I appreciate you from now on! Uh, except when Hanny and Mint are watching. I do have an illusion of independent _machismo_ to maintain."

Manny returned them to their Pokéballs, realising for the second time that an adult had divined his name without prior introduction.

_"They must have watched the same Jubilife TV program,on the same day at the same minute all those months ago, and remembered me since then,"_ Manny reasoned in his mind. With his beloved Pokémon, he took down all the Trainers littering the beach before heading into Pastoria proper. He walked with a spring in his step, for his heart was light.

He was a superhero.


	16. Chapter 16: Pastoria and Galactic Bomb 1

Bypassing the locals, Manny spent the night at the Pokémon Centre. When dawn rose in the hoary sky, Manny ignored the sights of the fair city, including the Great Marsh it was famous for. He went for the Gym but heard rapidly approaching footsteps behind him. He braced himself… but there was no impact.

"Toge-prrrreeeeeee!"

Manny turned around at the baby Pokémon's call to see Mint's pearly-white grin.

"Hey, you can't expect me to crash into you all the time! People might think we're lovers!"

"Thank you for ruining my morning with that delightful image, Mint. I was planning to have breakfast, but I don't think I'll be able to get down any food for the rest of the day."

"You're welcome. Every time Dad came home, he always stood JUST behind Mom, so that when she turned around she would crash into him and he would tell her that."

"Every single time?"

"As far back as I can remember! Mom HATES it when he does that!"

"I can tell whose genes you inherited. I'm challenging Crasher Wake today."

"I'm his apprentice! Master is awesome! He knows my Dad!"

Manny stared at Mint but the boy was guileless as ever.

"I'm off to defeat your Master, then."

"Wanna see my Espeon and Gabite first? They evolved like an hour before you arrived."

"No."

"Uh, okay. Maybe some other time!"

"To-ge, To-ge!" Togepi waved with one paw, using the other to hold fast to Mint's hair.

888

Waving hello to the sunglasses stalker, Manny solved the Gym's watery puzzle. While facing the gauntlet of Gym Trainers, Manny's Grotle evolved into Torterra. As usual he stood toe-to-toe with the Gym Leader and as usual the Leader made a speech.

"Welcome! I don't get challenged very often! The glory you are now beholding is the Pastoria Gym Leader! That's right, I'm Crasher Wake! My Pokémon were toughened up by stormy white waters! They'll take everything you can throw at them, then pull you under! Victory will be ours!"

"Good heavens, you _are_ loud for a half-naked man."

"Come on, let's get it done!" the wrestler roared, flexing his tremendous muscles.

Crasher Wake's Gyarados, Quagsire and Floatzel stood not a chance against Luxray and Staravia, the latter evolving into Staraptor after the battle.

"Television sure does exaggerate Trainer battles," Manny said, having won his fifth Gym victory. "They make it look as though convoluted techniques and dodging actually work."

"It seems the undertow pulled ME under…" Wake laughed. "But I had a great time battling with you! You've earned this!"

The boy received the Fen Badge from Crasher Wake along with the TM for Brine.

Manny smiled, shaking the man's huge hand. "Thanks! I had fun too."

"That's the whole idea! We're in this for the fun!" Wake beat his chest, still laughing in the face of defeat.

_"Now here is a man,"_ Manny thought with newfound respect, _"that I can relate to."_

888

The weird sunglasses guy expressed his platitudes, showing Manny that his name had already been added to the list of certified Trainers at the Gym entrance.

"Why are only Hannah, Mint and I listed here? Aren't there thousands of other Trainers in Sinnoh?"

"Yes, but they're not Champs-to-be."

Manny did a double-take.

"YOU are the one carving our names into the plaques?"

"I sure am. I pay the Gym Leader a handsome sum and he or she allows me to carve whatever I want into these statues."

"You're crazy."

"Yes but I'm never wrong. One of you _will_ be League Champion," the weirdo grinned, his sunglasses glinting.

Mint was waiting for Manny outside the Gym. He was feeding Togepi with a baby bottle and didn't appear to mind the formula dribbling down Togepi's chest and onto his scalp.

"We have five badges now, gained with little or no effort," Manny remarked, flicking his shiny new Fen Badge into the air with his thumb.

"That's not true; we've fought every single Trainer and wild Pokémon we encountered on our adventure. By the way Manny I have something to tell you!" he said while burping Togepi over his shoulder.

"It can wait. Have you seen Hanny?"

"Nuh-uh. I've been hanging out with Master Wake!" he said, shaking his head before replacing Togepi there. "Oh, and before I forget, I have to tell you this really important thing…"

Wake derailed Mint's train of thought as he emerged from his Gym.

"Oh, Master!" Mint gushed, stars in his eyes. Togepi greeted the wrestler with little squeals of delight. Wake, however, was stern.

"…Listen, kid. I know your father. I won't deny that. But I don't recall ever taking you on as an apprentice. Not in the least. Besides, you two don't need me; you can become strong on your own without being my apprentice."

"He's right, Mint."

"It doesn't matter! I made you my master! I decided! But forget that! There's trouble brewing! There's a Team Galactic goon in front of the Observatory Gate. He said something about using a bomb!"

"WHAAAAAAT? No-one messes with Pastoria! Not on my watch!" Wake exploded like a tsunami making landfall, dashing off at top speed.

"Hey! Master! Wait!"

The boys chased the Gym Leader halfway across the city to the public entrance of the Great Marsh.

"Hey! What am I, chopped liver? Don't forget I'm here, too!" Mint whined at the man, who was busy ignoring him, looking around the gate's entrance area.

"So where's this Galac…"

_**DDDOOOMMM!**_

Everyone in the area covered their heads and kissed concrete. After the place stopped shaking they got back on their feet while the citizens of Pastoria City went mad around them, running here, screaming there and yelling everywhere. Togepi was inconsolable so Mint cradled him in an effort to calm his wailing. A Team Galactic grunt ran out of the gate.

"Fweh! That was rough."

"YOU! What have you done?!" Wake yelled, every vein in his body popping.

"Technically speaking, it wasn't me; it was the package that arrived: the Galactic Bomb. Me, I was told to push the button, so I did. Like, 'poink'! Oh, that's right! Mustn't forget! The test results need reporting! Cheerio, then! You daft codger, your mask's absurd!" he insulted Wake before running pell-mell for the eastern city limits. Wake turned to go after him but gritted his teeth and instead turned towards the gate. Acrid black smoke was pouring out of the entrance to Hell.

"The Great Marsh is invaluable… You two! Do NOT follow me! Don't let anyone else in, either! There'd be big trouble if there's any of that bomb left!" Crasher Wake ordered. He ran inside, determination and worry marking the face beneath the mask.

His face was white with shock, but Mint resolutely stood guard, still trying to shush a bawling Togepi. "Go after that Galactic goon, Manny!" he shouted, tears filling his eyes.

"Right!"

Manny unfolded his bicycle to begin the chase. Then he remembered his promise, and summoned Ponyta instead. There were many conflicts Manny preferred to stay out of, but ignoring a terrorist who had probably killed dozens of people was unthinkable. He would do something about it! His Pokémon would protect him. He was a superhero now.

Whether it was supreme stupidity or astronomical arrogance, the goon was loitering just outside the eastern gate, as though he hadn't just thrown an entire city into chaos. Manny bellowed at him, reaching for a Pokéball, but the goon ordered him not to follow before running off again. On the other side of the gate, Manny heard the goon talking to himself.

"Stop right there!"

"We needed the energy from the valley Windworks to make this. Our boss is a scientific mechanical genius!" he crowed, running off once more. Manny and Ponyta galloped after him onto the beach along Route 213 to the narrow track of sand beside the cliff, where the goon was again talking to himself.

"This Galactic Bomb sure packs a wallop!"

He turned around when Manny ordered him to freeze. Ponyta whinnied with anger.

"GRAW! You were eavesdropping again!"

Before Manny could chase him for the third time, Looker ran up to Manny.

"Hello, my friend! The cargo that the Team Galactic brought is worrisome, so I have come."

"Looker, a Team Galactic member just blew up the Observatory Gate! Didn't you hear the explosion?!"

Looker's already intense eyes became gaping saucers in his face.

"The Team Galactic!"

He looked away from Manny.

"Oh, no, no, no! How did I miss it? Ah, Looker, this time you have made a mistake of the ages! The man, who I have seen running away, he was the bearer of the bomb! Ach! This will not do! Wait! Wait, I say!"

He ran past Manny into the fancy hotel. Returning Ponyta, Manny followed him inside.

"Ah, my friend, it is you! Yes, I am at this hotel now. I am interviewing the people to see if they have seen anyone suspicious."

"There is only ONE way through here, you idiot! Where ELSE could he have gone?"

"I would like your assistance," Looker cut his tirade short. "Go search outside, if you will. The suspect, he may have already slipped away ahead unnoticed."

Screaming with frustration, Manny flung open the hotel doors, tossed Ponyta into the air and raced her with all their might along the smooth stone walkway, knocking over aristocrats in his way. While galloping north to the lake, Manny caught sight of his target. The goon did not run this time, and summoned a Croagunk that Ponyta thrashed.

"Oh, no! I wanted to set this bomb off, myself… I will have to give it to the Commander," the goon groaned before limping away.

"Oh, no you don't! Ponyta, get after…"

"Hi, Manny! How's your Pokédex coming along?"

"WAH! Cynthia!" Manny fell off his mare in surprise. "Did you hear what happened in Pastoria? Hurry! Catch the Team Galactic goon! He went north, holding another bomb!"

"I came to research the folklore about the lake, but it doesn't appear that the lake is open to the public, now."

"Cynthia! There's no time!" Manny shouted while picking himself up. "We have to go after that terrorist! He must have killed dozens of people in the Observatory Gate!"

"According to folklore, there is an island inside the lake, and within the island is a mirage of a Pokémon. No-one must enter the chamber of that Pokémon…"

"Why aren't you listening to me?" the boy cried. "I'm a superhero now, I have to save all the people, but I couldn't save the ones in the Marsh..."

"Oh! I was supposed to talk to you about something else," she said, but Mint came running up to them, carrying an egg in his arms. When he neared they saw that it was Togepi who had receded into his shell, exhausted from crying, now asleep.

"Did you catch that goon from Team Galactic, Manny?" he demanded, but then registered Cynthia's existence. "Whoa! Is she your older sister, Manny?"

"What?" Manny whimpered with dismay.

"Oh, Master Wake sent me to tell you that the explosion in the Great Marsh wasn't anything serious. Nobody was hurt, and the Marsh itself suffered little damage, but next time I see 'em, I'm gonna make that Team Galactic pay!"

Manny sat down on the grass, drew his knees to his chest and covered his head with both arms. Ponyta nosed his shoulder to no avail.

"You're certainly more impatient than you are energetic," Cynthia told Mint. "Here, take this Secret Potion. It'll cure the chronic headache of the Psyduck who are blocking the path north to Celestic Town."

"Gee, thanks!"

"I see that Hannah gave you Togepi. Are you making him happy?"

"Very!"

"He will serve you well when he evolves."

"Oh, he's not gonna be my servant; he'll always be my friend!"

Cynthia stared at the sleeping Togepi, then at Mint's earnest face. She turned away, blinking rapidly.

"I went on a big adventure with a Pokédex when I was younger," she said. Her tone of voice was no longer majestic and authoritative, but wistful. "I hope you and Manny get to meet every kind of Pokémon there is to see!" she said fervently.

"We plan to! Bye-bye!"

After she left, Mint poked Manny's cowering figure with his shoe.

"Hey, wake up! Your sister gave me this; she's awesome."

"She's isn't my... Mint, I'm going to stay like this until the world makes sense again," Manny muttered from his cringing position on the grass. The fury-fueled adrenaline had drained from his system, so his thighs were inoperable from riding Ponyta again.

"Uh, 'kay. I'm gonna help the Psyduck get better!"

"Go on then. Say hi to Hannah if you see her."

888

Mint had already obtained the HM Fly from Veilstone City, so he secured Togepi in his hair before flying to Solaceon Town. He used the Starly he had caught ages ago when he had just started his adventure with Manny. How a five-pound bird managed to carry a boy weighing eighty-five pounds is the mystery of the ages. Nevertheless, despite all the natural laws he circumvented, Mint cycled north after touching down in Solaceon, merrily picking berries, planting some more, and using the Versus Seeker to re-battle Trainers along the route, including those in the Café Cabin.

Replenishing his supply of MooMoo Milk, he downed a full, creamy, calcium-packed bottle before spraying the flock of Psyduck with the Secret Potion. Once he performed this task, the Psyduck waddled off. Cynthia appeared behind Mint, walking from the direction of Solaceon Town.

"I see that you used the Secret Potion."

"I sure did! Hey, wait a minute, why did you give me the potion if you came here yourself?"

"I forgot to give you this Old Charm. I'd like you to give it to my grandma in Celestic Town. She's the town elder, and has a bossy atmosphere about her; you'll recognise her right away."

Mint accepted the item for delivery.

"I'm on the case, Manny's sister!"

A grin quirked the corner of Cynthia's perfectly formed mouth.

"Why do you say I'm Manny's sister?"

"You have to be, 'cause you're always so SERIOUS! Just like Manny! Everything is serious business for him!"

"I'll try to relax, but I find it difficult to do so these days."

"Get a massage from that nice lady in Veilstone. She massaged Togepi for me!"

Cynthia laughed. Mint's heart sang at the music of it.

"I'm afraid she only knows how to massage Pokémon. I will take your advice, though, so I'll visit the Resort Area. I feel like I've been wearing the same set of clothes forever!"

"I know what you mean. Bye, Cynthia!"

While Mint waded through the very tall grass, he encountered the Ninja Trio: an infant band of ninja cosplayers who thought they were hot stuff. Mint showed them who was boss; after all, he _had_ bested Crasher Wake that day.

Forging further north, the route became very foggy. Employing his Starly once more, Mint defogged the area, allowing him to locate and humiliate every Trainer he came across.

"Why did you pick a fight with us?" Zac and Jen, a pair of Ace Trainers, asked. "Here we are, lost in the fog, and some blonde kid with a Togepi on his head beats up our Raichu and Gyarados!"

"I have a sixth Gym to conquer, _DUH_, now hand over the prize money. Baby supplies ain't cheap!"

Despite his multi-millionaire status, Trainers would not get off scot-free. Besides, more money meant more rides in his future amusement park. He used the Amulet Coin to full effect, lifting over _seventeen thousand_ Pokédollars from the hapless pair. After whizzing along on his bike to the route's end, he encountered a senior citizen with an air of despondency about him. The man was sitting on the stairs leading into town, but stood when Mint approached. There was resignation in his voice.

"I've decided. I'll have one last Pokémon battle with you, then I'm retiring as a Trainer."

When Mint demolished his team without breaking a sweat, the light was rekindled in the elderly man's eyes.

"This… this is what I have been looking for! Purpose! I will continue to train my Pokémon! Next time we battle, young man, we will be much stronger!"

"Awesome! Now give me your money."

"Toge-prrreee!"


	17. Chapter 17: Celestic Town and Cyrus

Celestic Town was truly tiny, with a smattering of houses built around an archaeological dig of legendary ruins. A resident alleged that this was the first town ever built in Sinnoh. Mint healed his team in the Pokémon Centre before wandering about town, invading people's homes and receiving gifts like he had in every town or city prior.

"The people of Sinnoh sure are nice, huh, Togepi?"

"Prrreeeee!" he agreed.

At the Centre of town, Mint met an old woman who was frowning so hard that her wrinkles had wrinkles.

"There's a spaceman in front of the ruins, who's threatening to blow up our town with a bomb!"

She was about to say that she would punish the spaceman with her Pokémon if she were younger, but Mint had already run off, bypassing the local shrine on his way to the ruins where a Team Galactic grunt was standing guard.

"This town is insignificant! There's nothing of value here," the Galactic grunt sneered. "It doesn't need to exist, so I'll blow it up with a Galactic Bomb! If you try to mess with me, I'll shut you down with a Pokémon battle."

He then noticed the unmitigated rage blazing from Mint. The boy was standing with fists clenched, legs wide apart, teeth bared and face livid.

"You dare to oppose Team Galactic? That means you're taking on the world… no, the universe, even!"

He summoned a Houndour. Mint, the very picture of righteous fury, stabbed a finger at his foes.

"Togepi, use Metronome!"

Sitting on Mint's head, the little Pokémon began waving its paws back and forth as a surreal glow radiated from his body. The ground went mad, rolling in waves, and Houndour fell into a fissure in the earth, fainting instantly.

"What kind of trick is that? Golbat, go!"

"Another Metronome!" Mint hollered. The baby must have sensed his Trainer's fighting spirit, because rainbow colours swirled around Togepi's miniature paws, arcing outward in an Aurora Beam that froze Golbat solid.

"Th… this town is nothing! I am glad to be rid of this place!" the grunt stuttered, returning his Pokémon before fleeing for dear, sweet life. Mint's furious demeanour evaporated like fog, and calm returned.

"I'm really proud of you, Togepi! That was…"

Mint was blinded by an all-consuming flash of light. The weight on his head more than doubled. Screwing his eyes shut, he reached up, but instead of a smooth eggshell, he felt a smooth, almost downy body. When the nova faded and he dared to open his eyes, he was looking into the gleaming eyes of a Togetic. Though the eggshell was gone, he had the same red and blue triangular ring pattern about his white body, but now boasted a long neck, long legs, and a pair of ivory wings.

"You're an angel!" Mint gasped, feeling familiar floods entering his eyes.

"Tic!" he cooed in a deeper tone, smiling and flapping his brand new wings.

The old lady that had complained about the 'spaceman' walked slowly towards Mint and his new Pokémon. "A Togetic! I haven't seen one of those since my granddaughter brought one home! Young man, you are magnificent! Aren't you quite the Trainer? As the elder of Celestic Town, I give you my thanks. Oh? That Old Charm… May I see that, dear?"

Mint placed Togetic carefully on the ground before removing the Old Charm from around his neck, handing it over. Togetic began practicing with his wings, performing a few experimental liftoffs.

"Cynthia asked me to give this to you. You must be her grandma."

"Indeed I am. This Old Charm was made right here in Celestic Town, a long time ago. It was made in honour of a mythical deity said to have created Sinnoh. These Old Charms are still discovered now and again. Since you're here, why not look around inside the ruins?"

Togetic took to the air. It barely managed to hover onto Mint's shoulder, squeaking and almost falling off. The boy had to help steady the flying Pokémon on his new perch.

"Way to go, Togetic! I won't have to shampoo my hair every five hours, anymore!"

Tarrying a little, Mint examined the etchings of two Pokémon-like creatures on either side of the ruins's entrance.

"The flow of time never stops… the past, future and present…" he read on the left. "Space is ever-expanding dimensions… Our spirits, too, are as space…" he read on the right.

Inside the ruins was yet another depiction of Pokémon, but this time it was a cave painting of three small Pokémon in triangular formation around a shiny sphere. Cynthia's grandma examined the painting with him.

"It seems the painting's meaning is this… There existed beings… Beings so powerful, they were considered deities at the time. There were three Pokémon with power to match either being. The three kept balance with either being, as if they formed a pyramid. It's an ancient legend of Sinnoh that is still told in Celestic Town."

"I would like to know more about that legend, if you will."

Mint and the elder turned around at the strange voice.

"Who might you be…?" she asked.

The scary man with blue spiky hair, who had encountered Mint, Manny and Hanny so often during their adventure, strode towards them. "My name is Cyrus," he said, his grave voice echoing loudly in the cave. "I want to put an end to pointless strife and hostility. I am seeking the power to create the ideal world. Thus, I want you to answer. The world today can't change because the three Pokémon keep it in balance. Is that what you are saying?"

"I wouldn't know," the elder replied, her face and words hard as steel. "I _do_ know the world is in balance. I'm quite satisfied with the world the way it is. I'm not interested in your question."

If possible, the man's face became even darker. "Plead ignorance, will you? What a pointless attitude. You fail to appreciate that the world is incomplete. I will change the world. As the first step, I will destroy this cave painting that you've protected all these years. A new legend of a new world should take its place."

"NO!" Mint shouted, standing between the elder, the cave painting and Cyrus. "I can't let you do that!"

"Toge-TIC!" Togetic chirped urgently, frowning at the man as well.

"Am I wrong? If you feel that way, challenge me."

He held out an upturned fist. Mint reached for a Pokéball. Cyrus offered a wry grin, reaching for his own.

"I know you, Trainer. We've met at Mount Coronet. Why would _you_ want to protect this incomplete world? As the boss of Team Galactic, I will show you the error of your ways."

Mint was dumbstruck by this revelation. He felt his hand tremble as it held the Pokéball. Togetic, sensing his Trainer's doubt, gave an extra-loud chirp in the boy's ear. That snapped Mint out of his reverie.

"Infernape, go!"

"Sneasel, go!"

Infernape wreaked absolute destruction on Sneasel, who had a _quadruple_ weakness to Fighting-type moves. When Cyrus summoned Golbat, Mint switched to his Espeon, knocking it out with a single Psybeam. Cyrus grimaced when he summoned his final Pokémon: Murkrow.

"You've forced my hand this time!"

In response, Mint called upon his Gabite. No longer was he the adorable, bloodthirsty Gible caught in Wayward Cave, but a killer bristling with claws, teeth and spikes. His Dragon Claw made short work of Murkrow.

"Impressive. Your prowess is notable."

Cyrus returned his fallen Pokémon, neither a word of comfort offered to them, nor a trace of emotion marking his stony demeanour.

"Remarkable. But, Elder, your attitude told me what I needed to know. If the beings of time and space are brought together, they can't be stopped…"

He used a smoke-bomb to make good his escape. After coughing and waving away the cloud, Cynthia's grandma addressed her young saviour.

"Such a strange, strange man. Spouting such nonsense. The time and space of Sinnoh are filled with the memories and thoughts of countless people and Pokémon. This is a wonderful world. What need is there to change it? Oh, yes, I found something useful. You should take this. It belonged to my granddaughter, but she doesn't use it anymore. This is my thanks for your great help."

She gave him the third Hidden Machine: Surf. After helping her walk outside, Mint met Cynthia herself. The Elder excused herself, allowing the younger Trainers to chat.

"Was everything all right here?" she asked him. "You saw those strange people with a Galactic Bomb, didn't you?"

"I drove off Cyrus, their leader," he nodded, Togetic chirping in agreement.

"But those Team Galactic people…!" Cynthia said, looking towards the cave. For the first time, Mint saw anger in her fine, chiseled features. "I thought they were harmless. The bizarre ways they dress, and all their wild claims about making a new universe… I thought it was just silly talk. Nothing to take seriously. But they're surprisingly more trouble than expected. Trying to monopolise Pokémon just isn't acceptable! By the way, were the ruins fun to explore?" she asked, dropping her anger like a veil. Mint just nodded in reply. "If you're interested, there is a library in Canalave City. It's stocked with ancient books. You can look up Sinnoh history there. It might help you complete your Pokédex, too. The quickest way to Canalave City is to go west from Jubilife City."

"Thanks, Cynthia. You're the nicest Trainer I've ever met!" Mint smiled. Togetic flapped his wings, hovering over to the woman, staring into the depths of her eyes. She returned the intensity of his searching gaze. After a few moments, he returned to Mint's shoulder, satisfied with what he had seen.

"Mint, I shall remain here, should Team Galactic return. I saw Manny and Hannah while flying here; they'll be in town in a few minutes."

After rejuvenating his Pokémon and himself at the Centre, Mint waited for his companions at the eastern entrance to town while the sun rode towards the western horizon.

"Young man!" The senior Trainer whom Mint had cured of depression jogged over to him. "I have retrained my team! Will you honour me with another battle?" he asked, spilling over with eagerness. Mint gestured over the man's shoulder.

"Did you say 'battle'?" Hanny enquired of the elderly man when he turned around.

"I do believe you solicited a 'battle' from our blonde friend, my good man," Manny grinned, though he was bowlegged.

"Oh, delightful! Two young Trainers to chase the old Blues away!" the man rejoiced. After receiving a professional whipping from the pair, he accompanied them to the Pokémon Centre for renewal. The senior citizen gabbed on and on to Nurse Joy about his newfound spark of life while the younger Trainers sought a quiet area to talk. Togetic was hovering around the group, chirping with pride in his new evolutionary status. Manny and Hanny barely gave him a passing glance.

"What've you been up to, Hanny?" Mint asked, sitting at a table with the pair.

"Stuff," she replied.

"How about you, Manny?"

"Eh," Manny waved off the question, rubbing his legs.

"Now that we're together, we can have more fun!"

"Whatever," they chorused.

The Trainers exchanged Hidden Machines, teaching the moves to their respective Pokémon.

"Off to Canalave, then," Manny said, rising from the table. Manny rode his Staraptor; Hanny, her Wise Shitashi; Mint, his Starly.

888

Dawn's father stopped the trio before they entered the city. He upgraded their Pokédexes to display male and female Pokémon.

"How did you know where we were, at this _exact_ time?" Hanny asked with genuine curiosity.

"You don't hang around here all week waiting for us, do you?" Manny asked in turn.

"Each Pokédex has a built-in GPS. Wherever you roam, people with the proper clearance have access to your location, accurate to five feet."

"Only Pokémon Professors and their aides have clearance, then."

"No; pretty much anyone who knows your Trainer ID and can type it into _Google Earth_. Your Pokédex is integrated with that program, and many other apps."

"Then how come nobody could find us when we went Underground?" Mint wondered.

"Aha! That's the thing; Pokédex GPS signals can penetrate atmosphere, but not ground or deep water. Years ago, when Giovanni was still a Gym Leader, the Pokémon League outsourced all Pokédex GPS transmitters to his Team Rocket."

"You're joking," Hanny frowned, removing her glasses to wipe them.

"Not at all. Team Rocket was once a reputable institution. When Giovanni retired, other rival Teams stole their thunder."

"That's such a sad story, but we've got to be going now. Thanks for the upgrade," Manny said,

Dawn's father gave a thumbs-up. "It's what I do."

"Sheesh," Hanny said to Manny after they crossed the gate. "How did a dork like him make a daughter like Dawn? Her mother must have all the looks!"

"You've never seen Dawn's mother?"

"Pffft, _as if_ I pay social visits."


	18. Chapter 18: Canalave and Iron Island

Darkness descended while they toured Canalave City. The port city was so named because a canal neatly bisected it from north to south. From here one could take a ferry north to Iron Island, but it was late. The trio settled in for the night at the Pokémon Centre, surrendering their Pokémon to Nurse Joy.

After changing into their pajamas, they played _Super Smash Bros. Brawl_ in the recreational area. Manny played as Marth, Hanny as Link and Mint as Lucas. They smashed each other's avatars until they were too sleepy to hurl insults or yell at each other for cheating.

"Marth is _still_ the best," Manny attested, crawling onto the first bunk bed.

"Link is a terrorist, but I will always love him," Hanny avowed, scrambling into the second bunk.

"I like Lucas's hair," Mint yawned, climbing to the top bunk.

When dawn rose triumphant over the night, Hanny rose with it, pushing the boys off their bunk beds. That woke them up, so after everyone took turns showering and had breakfast, they reclaimed their Pokémon companions, then crossed Canalave's bascule bridge.

"Come to gang up on Byron's Gym, I see," said the sunglasses guy. He seemed quite recovered from the fear Hanny had instilled in him.

"This is our sixth Gym. You haven't you told us your name," Manny said.

"You never asked. People call me the 'Gym Guy'. I'm the official Gym Caretaker," he cracked a grin, adjusting his sunglasses. "As Caretaker, I give advice to all novice Trainers who wish to challenge this region's Gyms. There's a Caretaker in each region!"

"You still haven't told us your name," Hanny pointed out.

"Heh, it's not important. You won't remember it, anyway."

"We thought you were some kinda Gym Stalker!" Mint said. "We were gonna report you to Looker!"

"That loony detective? Even _I_ wouldn't want HIS job! Now, are you guys gonna challenge Byron or what? He uses the Steel-type."

"How do you give advice to EVERY novice Trainer challenging Sinnoh's Gyms? That's impossible!" Manny shook his head.

"When you beat Byron, I'll reveal my secret. Now get on with it!"

"Yes! Get on with it!" Mint echoed, shoving Manny further into the Gym.

The building was covered floor-to-ceiling with stainless steel plates. The lights in the Gym reflected off the walls and floor in an uncomfortable glare. While taking on Gym Trainers, the trio was forced to navigate a series of elevators that descended or ascended to different levels in the Gym.

At last, after that dizzying experience, they met Byron. The man wielded a shovel for some reason. He had a wild look in his deepset eyes, offset by his scruffy appearance. His purple beard was in need of a shave and, along with his ragged miner's uniform and cape, his spiky purple hair was dusted with iron filings.

"Ah! That's Oreburgh's Gym Badge!" he yelled, hefting his shovel. "I see, I see! You've defeated my son. But that's no surprise. He still has much to learn. In place of my son, Roark, I, Byron, will take your challenge!"

He used Magneton, Steelix and Bastiodon. As all three Trainers had Ground-type and Fire-type Pokémon, they took turns defeating him. He was even easier than Crasher Wake.

"Hm! My sturdy Pokémon, defeated! You were strong enough to take down my prized team of Pokémon. In recognition of that power, I give you this: the Mine Badge and TM Flash Cannon!"

"Woopie," said Manny and Hanny, twirling a finger in the air.

"WOO!" Mint whooped, bouncing off the walls with his shiny new Badge and CD.

"Ha ha ha! With young Trainers like you and Roark, the future of Pokémon is bright! I shall rededicate myself to training on Iron Island. Come visit sometime!" he boomed, jumping onto an elevator that led to the entrance. When the empty elevator returned, the trio descended to be greeted by the waiting Caretaker.

"Just as planned," he said with a disgustingly self-satisfied grin. "Now I shall reveal my secret! How can a man be in eight Gyms at once? I'm not! I just latch onto the Trainers who I know will be Champions!"

"I distinctly remember you saying that you have restraining orders from the Champions of the three other regions," Manny said.

"Oh, them. Yeah, you see, my foreign colleagues have the same sixth sense as I do, so when they identify a Champ-to-be, we exchange contact information, including the GPS signal of the Champion's Pokédex. That way, we can stalk each other's Champions, uploading pictures and videos of them to the Internet! Do you want to join our _Facebook_?"

"Ooooh, another website!" Mint said, pushing buttons on his watch. "Lemme use my Pokétch notepad…"

Manny and Hanny grabbed Mint, dragging him away from the Caretaker and Byron's Gym.

888

Their Pokémon restored at the Centre, the Trainers decided to visit Iron Island based on the rumour of a Hidden Machine located there.

"I'll have to take my Bibarel to learn the move. Lemme download her."

When Manny did so, alarms began blaring in the Pokémon Centre, accompanied by flashing red lights and panicked screams of the public. Nurse Joy's Blissey tackled the boy, sitting on him.

"Can't… breathe!"

Nurse Joy switched off the alarm. She stepped over Manny, removing the seventh Pokéball from his belt.

"Little boy, don't you know better than to carry a seventh Pokéball on you?"

Manny began turning blue.

"Blissey, let the boy live."

With that generous gesture, Blissey removed her bulk. Manny gulped in a lungful of life. "Wh-why can't we carry more than six?"

"League rules. Back in the day, before the League existed, you were allowed to carry around as many Pokémon as you wished, but battles would take hours, sometimes _days_. Long ago, old man Henderson got into a battle with Mr. Welch and they went at it for _seven weeks_. At the end of it they had gone through _two thousand Pokémon each_ - don't ask me how they caught that many - and all their Hyper Beams, Earthquakes and Flamethrowers destroyed Sinnoh's lush forest along Route 228."

"Route 228 is a lifeless, stormy desert, not a forest!"

Nurse Joy glowered at Manny. _"Exactly."_

Manny cringed. "I'll be good."

"Store one of your Pokémon in the computer or Blissey will use Egg Bomb and ruin your whole day."

"Y-yes, ma'am!"

After that unpleasantness, the trio boarded the free ferry, the bascule bridge swung upward, and the ferry jetted northward.

They met a snazzy dresser standing before the entrance to the island cave. He was dressed all in midnight blue, from his unusual but striking blue fedora with its black silk band and three spikes jutting out behind, to his sharp blue and black jacket, straight black pants and shiny black dress shoes. His face and hands were very pale, and his navy blue hair was so spiky it almost covered his eyes. The incredible intensity in his eyes reminded the young Trainers of Cynthia. _Here is yet another remarkable person,_ they all thought.

"…You are?"

_Not too friendly, though._ Manny gave his name, introducing his friends.

"I'm Riley. I'm a Trainer and yes, it is a bit odd that I would be training here."

"You look ready for a cocktail party, not a training session," Hanny said.

"Anyway, it's always nice to meet other Trainers. Here's a gift."

Riley held out the Hidden Machine for the Hidden Move 'Strength'.

Manny looked askance at the man. "We've only just met, but you give us a Hidden Machine? We don't have to jump through hoops, or perform some arduous task before you give us this?"

"Why, would you rather work hard for your rewards?"

Manny shook his head, accepting the gift. "No sir! I want it _now_."

The Trainers each taught their Pokémon before resuming dialogue with the enigmatic Trainer in blue.

"I'll be training inside. You can join me, if you wish."

Hanny raised her hand, stepping forward. "Thanks, I'll come!" She looked over her shoulder. "You guys head back to Canalave and get lunch or something."

Manny gave a thumbs-up. "Enjoy your training session."

"Hey! Why can't I come?" Mint whined. Togetic also chirped his displeasure.

"Because this is my one opportunity to have a normal social interaction with a human being. Now GIT!" Hanny stamped her foot, causing Mint to scurry away in terror. She turned to the snazzy dresser.

"Shall we?"

"We shall," Riley bowed at the hip, indicating she should take the lead.

888

The pair entered the island cave, descending the stairs to the right. Riley summoned his Lucario, battling some picnicking Trainers with Hanny's assistance. They descended an elevator, taking the stairs to the right again. Here they encountered a repairman who greeted them with the phrase, "The working class hero says hi!"

"Why do people make so many pop culture references? Are people devoid of original thought?" Hannah asked her new, better-dressed comrade.

"I think it is a decent homage to John Lennon. Not many kids today would even _know_ where that phrase came from."

"You may be right; it _is _sufficiently obscure."

The repairman interrupted their dialogue. "What are you guys talking about? I got those song lyrics from _Green Day_."

Neither Hannah nor Riley dignified the man with a battle. They continued spelunking, going back upstairs and down the stairs to the left.

"This is the place. Hanny, I'm glad to see you here. If you don't mind, let's team up. The Pokémon seem to be restless."

After encountering several pairs of picnickers and loafing workmen, Hanny had to state the obvious: "The people down here have way too much time on their hands!"

Riley laughed. "I must be one of those people, then."

Hanny giggled. "We have the same problem."

"This used to be a fairly thriving ore mine once upon a time. I guess the steel ore's played out. There's only Pokémon here now."

They battled more Trainers, wending their way through the natural maze. Riley struck up another conversation.

"Did you meet Byron, Canalave's Gym Leader? He wanted _me_ to become a Gym Leader, but there was his son Roark to consider."

"You let Roark be Oreburgh's Gym Leader? That _wimp_?"

Riley smiled. "I don't like being tied down, you know? It's better for the next generation to become Gym Leaders."

"I think it's better for Gym Leaders to be experienced. That way, they can guide the younger Trainers like myself. So far, all I've encountered are people too wrapped up in their own lives to focus on battling."

"It's strange that you would say that."

"It's the truth; all they did was talk about themselves. The only person I've met so far who isn't in love with themselves is Cynthia."

Riley had no rebuttal for that, so they carried on, trying their best to avoid wild Gravelers who had a tendency to Self-Destruct. Deep in the cave, they uncovered an Iron Plate using Hanny's Dowsing machine Pokétch application. Engraved on the back of the plate were the words: "_Two beings of time and space set free from the Original One_."

"I keep finding these plates all over Sinnoh. They must mean something," Hanny said, turning to him for help.

"Not everything has a meaning behind it, you know," Riley gently warned her.

"Yeah, but I've just got a _feeling_, you know?"

"That may be your aura speaking, the same way Lucario's aura speaks to him."

Hanny found a nifty Magnet for her Luxray. She asked Riley, but not even he knew how magnets work. They learned from one of the miners that Roark played here, on Iron Island, in his childhood.

"How on earth did he survive all those Self-Destructing Gravelers?" Hanny wondered, aghast at the notion of a _child _playing in this dangerous cave that was one loud sneeze away from collapse.

"The wild Pokémon loved Roark because he played games and fed them. He was never in any danger. His father was here with him until the Pokémon League called Byron to be Canalave's Gym Leader."

"My parents sort of abandoned me, too. It really sucks when parents do that."

"Roark was so sad, for so long. He and his father resolved their differences, though, thanks to a friendly Trainer called Ash Ketchum."

After defeating miners and various Ace Trainers, the pair encountered a pair of Team Galactic grunts.

"I get it now," Riley said, his voice frosting over as a cold fury burned in his eyes. "You're responsible for agitating the Pokémon. I don't care what good reason you may have, but I don't want you bringing any trouble into the mine."

Said Grunt number 1: "We're Team Galactic! We'll take all the Pokémon we want! Isn't that right, partner?"

Said his partner, Grunt number 2: "You said it, brother! So that's what we're gonna do! We're abducting all the Pokémon from this rusted-out Iron Island!"

Hannah could see Riley's clenched fists, grit teeth and deep, deep frown. However, Riley's anger was cold, therefore _it_ did not use _him_; _he_ used _it_ to speak his mind:

"To share in all the joys and all the sorrows… That is how all the Trainers and Pokémon live in Sinnoh! I won't allow anyone to defy that code of ethics! Come on, Hanny! This is one battle we can't lose!"

After a minute of battling, Grunt number 1 marveled at the might of Hanny's and Riley's combination. Grunt number 2 said his heart was shattered. He forthwith fled with his awestruck partner. Hanny's Ponyta, Zeke, evolved into Rapidash. When the brilliance of evolution faded, Hannah yelped with delight, jumping onto her flaming stallion's back.

"You're so much more handsome, Zeke!"

Zeke whinnied, rearing up his forelegs with joy at having pleased his mistress.

In gratitude for her assistance, Riley gifted Hanny a Pokémon egg.

"It is here that we must part ways. Thank you again for your help. Lucario and I will always remember you."

"Please come with us, Riley and Lucario! Replace those two idiots I am cursed to travel with!"

"Hannah, did you obtain six Gym Badges without their support?" he asked quietly.

Hannah scuffed her toes, pushing up her glasses. "Nnnnno."

"Please give them more credit. Yes, they are boys; their ways are wild. I was a boy once; I know these things. However, they will grow up into fine young men like me, just not as well-dressed."

"Not Mint; Manny and I were thinking of having him committed."

Riley laughed, shaking his head. "Consider what I have said. Until we meet again, my friend."

Hannah waved goodbye. "I had lots of fun!"

She mounted her much larger fire horse and they trotted onto the elevator that removed Riley and his Lucario from sight. She crossed the basement floor to yet another lift, which brought her to a cave with two tunnels: to the west there was a sunlit tunnel leading outside, but to the north, the other, darker tunnel called to her. She picked up the Shiny Stone some silly sod had discarded on the ground before giving in to the allure of darkness. Within that lightless cave, Zeke's forceful flame allowed her to find a Metal Coat. Her Pokétch Dowsing machine revealed a Nugget of pure, lustrous gold. Returning to the sunlit tunnel, they emerged to fresh air. Zeke hopped down several ridges before conveying her to the ferry.


	19. Chapter 19: Canalave and Galactic Bomb 2

When Hanny returned, she found Mint and Manny loafing about doing nothing. They were sprawled out on the docks, their feet dangling over the edge, still eating lunch. Togetic was brooding over the remains of his Pokémon food, visibly dissatisfied. He began pecking at Mint's sandwich bag.

"Hey," Manny lifted one hand with languor. He gestured towards the library while chewing a sandwich. "Dawn and Rowan showed up, but they wanted to meet with _everybody_, so we've been waiting for you to show up."

"These tuna sandwiches are made of Win," Mint proclaimed, chewing until his jaws ached. Togetic stole half a sandwich from the bag and flew away with it. Hanny stood with arms akimbo.

"I came back here, fully intending to say something nice to you boys, but here you are lounging around like two Slaking on a Sunday afternoon!"

"We just really like these sandwiches," Manny spoke through a full mouth. He proffered the sandwich bag to her. "You want one?"

Hanny stormed off to the library. "UGH! And I was going to show off Zeke, too!"

"Did he get a haircut?" Mint called behind her. Manny smacked the boy with his bottle of mineral water.

888

Having polished off the remainder of their lunch, the boys headed north to Canalave Library. A sullen Hanny greeted them at the doors.

"I'm still mad at you, but I wanted you to have these, Mint."

In either hand, she presented Riley's Pokémon egg and her Shiny Stone. Mint's eyes lit up like Cherrim at dawn.

"Hanny, I love you!"

"Good grief, I hope not," she grimaced, flinching away from him.

Mint inserted the egg into his backpack before calling Togetic. "I have a surprise for you!"

Togetic abandoned the ruins of the tuna sandwich by the docks to heed his Trainer's call.

"Tic?" he enquired.

"Hold this."

Togetic held the Shiny Stone between his tiny paws. "Toge… tic…" he cheeped with wonder, staring into the dazzling depths of the stone, his beady little eyes reflecting its luster. The three Trainers were rendered sightless by the wave of light and energy that radiated from the small Pokémon. Between the slats of their fingers, they perceived that Togetic was morphing.

"Togekiss!" sounded the exultant cry.

Joy ran in rivulets down Mint's cheeks. Manny and Hanny were embarrassed for him.

"You really ARE an angel, now!" he cried, hugging the Pokémon that was now bigger than he. Gone were its tiny paws, replaced by splendid white wings. The former spikes on its head were now a three-point crest, whose left spike was tipped in blue, and the right spike, in red. Togekiss was almost exactly the same weight as Mint, now.

Manny and Hanny briefly wondered how on Earth a Pokémon could gain so much weight in one evolution; the very process defied the first law of thermodynamics: energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Perhaps a star had gone out somewhere in the universe to compensate for equivalent exchange? They dismissed the troubling thought; such nonsense was the domain of Professor Rowan, whom awaited them.

"Uh, we're gonna meet Dawn and the Professor," Manny said. "You coming?"

"No way, I gotta show off Togekiss to Mom, and give her the Pokémon egg."

"I thought you love baby Pokémon?" Hanny said.

"Oh, I do, but Mom's feeling sad that Manny's Mom is tearing up the Contest scene while she's stuck at home, minding an empty house. She called me and said so."

"It's true," Manny said. "He had her on speakerphone."

"Whatever Pokémon this is, it's gonna be a Contest champion, just like Persian!"

"Heh, that means your Mom will make you wear a tuxedo!"

"Really? That's even better!" Mint smiled while climbing aboard Togekiss. "See you guys later!"

Togekiss swooped away with astonishing speed, leaving a brisk wind in his wake.

"I'm a little jealous," Manny admitted.

"That both your Moms will have more fame and glory than you will ever have?"

"No, that he's got a Pokémon that will learn Aura Sphere. It's, like, the _best move ever_."

Hanny rolled her eyes to the zenith, asking for the umpteenth time why she had to suffer such fools. The heavens kept their counsel, so Hanny followed Manny to the top floor of the library where Dawn and the Professor were waiting.

888

When the children were seated, Professor Rowan addressed them, clasping his hands behind his back in a self-important manner.

"Manny, everyone, listen. You may have forgotten, but I study Pokémon evolution…"

"Really?" Hanny gasped. "I thought you studied ornithology!"

Manny crossed his arms with a frown. "I could have sworn he was a lapidary!"

"NO WAY!" Dawn yelled, slamming her hands on the polished table. "You're not a chiropodist?!"

Rowan glared at the children who were now suffering from a near-fatal case of the giggles.

"Harrumph!" Rowan cleared his throat with a disgusting sound. "The more I study the evolution of Pokémon, the more mysteries appear and multiply. This is where you three come in: I want you to study the mirage Pokémon of the three lakes in Sinnoh. Dawn goes to Lake Verity, Hanny goes to Lake Acuity, and Manny to Lake Valor."

_**DDDOOOMMM!**_

Rowan fell over while the three children screamed and ducked under the table, their chairs skating across the floor as books tumbled off shelves and library patrons panicked. The ensuing dust cloud from the disturbance of long-untouched books caused one patron to have a severe asthma attack, while another's tachycardia flared up in all the excitement. Other than that, it was a fairly standard gigantic explosion, and the two incapacitated people were rushed to the hospital.

888

Home in TwinLeaf, Mint had just handed over the egg to his mother when the sound and tremor from the explosion arrived. Mint ran outside, looking to the east where a thick pillar of black smoke rose heavenward.

"What the funky fresh was that?"

"Mom, you're swearing again."

"I'm sorry, Mint, I was surprised," she said, finally walking outside to gaze at the dark cloud.

"Roserade!" her Pokémon exclaimed, hopping up and down all a-twitter, causing a most pleasant fragrance to suffuse the area.

"I'm actually terrified! I haven't felt this alive since my days as a Trainer with Johanna!"

"Mom, please take care of Hanny's… I mean, _my_ egg. She got it from some guy named Riley."

"Oh, that sexy devil!"

"MOM!" Mint protested, scandalised.

"Oh, there I go, using naughty words again! I watch him on TV all the time!"

"He has a TV show?"

"No, he's so dashing and handsome that Jubilife TV stalks him everywhere he goes. That's why he took up training on Iron Island; to escape the media."

"He is _not _that handsome."

Mint's Mom's eyes became half-lidded while she purred in a husky voice, "_Oh yes he is._"

"AUGH! _MOM!_" Mint screamed, fleeing from his chortling parent on Togekiss. Roserade waved goodbye. Mint was pretty much his son, too, considering he had helped raise the boy in his father's absence.

Mint's Mom waved goodbye. "Don't worry, honey, I'll take care of your egg! Raising a Pokémon is easier than raising a human boy!"

888

A sailor outside the library told Rowan and company that there had been a huge explosion at Lake Valor, but that everything was fine now; it was just a lot of noise; no-one was injured.

"That explosion shook this library, which is on THE OTHER SIDE OF SINNOH. How could it have NOT hurt anyone?" Manny argued. "It must have obliterated Valor Lakefront, at least!"

Hanny clapped him on the back. "Keep your hopes up, Manny. Maybe lots of people really _are_ dead, and it's a horrible catastrophe."

"It had better be," Manny sulked.

"Okay then," Rowan said after staring at Manny for a few uncomfortable moments. "I think the best idea-"

"YOU GUYS!"

Mint jumped off Togekiss, colliding with Manny to break his fall.

"MINT used TAKEDOWN! What happened, you guys?"

"Get off me!"

"Lake Valor asploded," Hanny said.

"You mean '_ex_ploded','" Dawn corrected her.

"No, I don't. Anyhow, this sailor dude claims that no-one was injured."

"I saw it on TV, so it must be true!" the sailor nodded.

"GET OFF ME!"

Mint stepped off Manny's ribcage and onto Togekiss again.

"I'm going to Lake Valor. I know Team Galactic is behind this!"

"Or it could be terrorists," Rowan suggested as Togekiss swooped away.

Hanny arched an eyebrow at him. "Really? A bomb that sounded and felt like a volcano erupting, had _no_ casualties? Was it a gigantic shaped charge?"

"Oh, alright, _fine_, it's those Galactic goons. Dawn and I shall go to Lake Verity. Hanny, you take Manny and follow Mint before he gets hurt."

"I'm sure he'll be fine, what with Team Galactic's nonlethal explosives and their incredibly stupid tendency to use Pokémon instead of firearms."

"Aren't we the ones who tricked them into doing that?" Manny asked.

"That doesn't make them less stupid."


	20. Chapter 20: Lake Valor and Verity

After the three flew to Pastoria and cycled/rode to Lake Valor, they found the lake completely drained of water. Helpless flopping Magikarp and Team Galactic goons were everywhere. The kids expected most of the Magikarp to be dead from the explosion (the shockwave alone would have done it) but they were all alive, if inconvenienced. Moreover, the lake bed was undamaged, so the water hadn't been drained by cracking it open. Either Team Galactic had perfected a hydrophobic explosive or the Magikarp were made of adamantium.

"Manny, why are you making that face?" Hanny poked the boy in the shoulder.

"I _just_ had lunch, but now I have to smell stinky Magikarp while fighting a horde of Galactic goons in fresh mud."

"How did they blow up all the water without mincing the Magikarp?"

"Mint, stop asking stupid questions and help us fight."

"But Hanny, none of this makes sense!"

Hannah returned Zeke in favour of Glitch, who honked angrily at the nearest Team Galactic member and began to chase him.

"Quit it! I don't have any Pokémon!"

"PO-RY-GON!"

"I don't want to die!"

"Glitch, use Tri-Attack!"

"AAAAAH!"

_**THOOM!**_

The goon flew into the treetops surrounding the lake, disturbing a flock of Pidgey that rose cheeping into the sky. The children were bespattered with wet mud from the explosion.

Manny's face was white. "Hannah, killing people is wrong."

"Glitch does not use lethal force, I promise."

"NOOB," Glitch accused Manny, who forgot to be angry in the midst of his utter surprise.

"Did you teach him Leetspeak?"

"Manny, you can't be _that_ dense! Glitch is a digital Pokémon, with a natural wireless connection to the Internet. I have four terabytes of music downloaded onto him."

Glitch began to play the fake _My Chemical Romance_ song, "Safe and Sound," while projecting a holographic music video of Kyosuke Himuro as the lead singer.

Some colour returned to Manny's face. "You're going to jail when you're old enough to be tried as an adult."

"They'll never take me alive."

Glitch halted his illegal activity so that he could chase down another defenseless Team Galactic member, inflicting a non-fatal maiming. Mint raised a Pokéball, summoning Espeon.

"Um, I'm going after the guys who _can_ put up a fight."

"There's no fun in that," Hanny retorted, sticking out her tongue before directing Glitch to his next victim.

"Yeah, I'm gonna agree with Mint for once," Manny said before calling Keira to the field.

One of the goons Mint defeated mentioned that Team Galactic was already on its way to TwinLeaf and Lake Verity. The grunt guarding the cave entrance said something even more alarming: "All legendary Pokémon will be brought to our headquarters in Veilstone!"

The kids laughed at him. Glitch dealt him a non-terminal Psybeam to the face.

Manny snorted. "Those jumpsuits must be cutting off the circulation to their brains. Nobody can capture a god, must less an entire pantheon!"

Inside the island cave, they encountered a Galactic commander: Saturn, who had funky, gravity-defying blue hair.

"Hey, you're the kids who raided our warehouse in Eterna!"

"The very same. Glitch, get ready!"

"PO-RY!"

"Our Team's plans are going off without a hitch! Jupiter should be ashamed of herself for losing to children!"

He summoned Golbat, Bronzor and Toxicroak, whom Glitch and Zeke all knocked down. Commander Saturn recalled his last fainted Pokémon with a self-disgusted scowl. "I, a Commander, am only able to buy the Team more time to carry out our mission!" He got over himself quickly, however, and pointed a finger at the trio. "Know this: children like you will never be able to stem the flow of time! Team Galactic will get the three legendary Pokémon of the lakes. With their power, the Team will create an entirely new universe! By now, Mars should have captured the Pokémon of Lake Verity."

He disappeared with a smoke-bomb.

"PWNED," Glitch commented.

"Three guesses as to where I'm going," Mint said, summoning Togekiss.

Manny climbed aboard Keira. He told Mint, "We'll need your help at Lake Verity."

"Starrraptor!" Keira agreed.

"No, dummy, I'm headed north to Lake Acuity before Team Galactic show up there. Togekiss can outrun them, can't ya?"

"Kiss!"

Hannah remounted Zeke. Manny started to say that flying would be faster, thought better of it, then summoned his own fiery horse, clambering onto her saddle.

"We'll back up Rowan and Dawn at Lake Verity. Good luck, Togekiss," Hanny said.

"Aren'cha gonna wish _me_ luck?"

"With you as his Trainer, _he's_ the one that needs luck."

888

At Lake Verity, they found Rowan and saw, further ahead, his intrepid sidekick Dawn surrounded by Galactic goons and their menacing bowl-cut hairstyles.

"Children! Team Galactic is trying to get the legendary Pokémon! You must help Dawn!" Rowan shouted, then rounded on the nearest goon. "You misguided thugs!"

He punched the jumpsuit. The goon rubbed his arm. "Ow! What are you doing, you crazy old fool?"

"ROWAN used DYNAMIC PUNCH!" the Professor yelled, socking the man's upper arm with all his elderly might. The goon continued to yell at him without doing anything.

Leaving Rowan to his physical assault, Manny and Hanny Pokémon-battled their way through the Team Galactic lines. One of the Team members helpfully informed them that the legendary Lake Pokémon had already been taken to their HQ in Veilstone.

When they caught up with Dawn, there was Mars of the flaming red hair, sneering at the girl and her Prinplup.

The Galactic Commander recognised Manny. "You're that boy from the Windworks! I caught a whole lotta trouble for that incident!"

"…Who are you again?"

"Your ploy to anger me will not work!"

"Hanny, I'm sure I've seen this lady before, but something tells me she's too insignificant to be worth remembering."

The Commander's face turned almost the same colour as her hair. "You're just here to rescue your girlfriend!"

It was Manny's turn to be outraged. "SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!"

Mars summoned Golbat, Purugly and Bronzor to further taunt him. Manny responded in kind with Luxray, Torterra and Ponyta. At the end of it, his fiery mare finally evolved into a blazing Rapidash.

"OOOOH!" Mars squealed, stomping her feet. She calmed down after a few moments. "Hah! That's right; I HAVE accomplished my mission, this time! Thanks to Saturn's grandstanding at Lake Valor, an island appeared in Lake Verity. It was where the Pokémon Mesprit slept. It went to help its friends, but that made it super-easy to catch. So now we have them all: Mesprit, the being of emotion; Azelf, the being of willpower and Uxie, the being of intelligence. Team Galactic has plans for them!"

The Galactic members disappeared with their Commander in a hail of smoke-bombs. They children began coughing, forced to flee the lake area with Rowan.

When they had moved to fresher air, the adult among them voiced his concern: "What is happening up at Lake Acuity? Is Mint safe?"

Dawn went to his side. "Hanny, Manny, I'll stay with Rowan before he punches more people. You back up Mint!"

Manny gave the thumbs-up, promising, "We shall."

They flew away on Keira and Wise Shitashi.

"I would have made a fine pugilist," Rowan boasted, flexing his arms, then crying out in pain at how sore they were.


	21. Chapter 21: Snowpoint and Lake Acuity

Manny and Hanny flew north to Eterna, pausing to refresh their teams at the Pokémon Centre. After consulting the town map, they went east into Mount Coronet. Inside, Manny used his Bibarel's Strength to push huge boulders out of the way. They descended into a foggy underground lake, so Keira used Defog. After nabbing the many items scattered on the ground by using Rock Smash, Surf, Strength and the Dowsing machine application, they found the eminently useful hold-items of NeverMeltIce (which boosts Ice-type moves) and Soft Sand (which boosts Ground-type moves).

They then headed to the northeastern exit of the cave, onto the blizzard-blasted route 216. It was late evening by that time, and visibility was near zero.

To counter the wintry shroud of their path, Hanny mounted Zeke while Manny straddled his Rapidash. Due to her massive size increase, the boy knew he'd be even sorer than usual at the end of the route. It was better than freezing to death, he reasoned, though his thighs were screaming after the first hundred yards.

He experienced tremendous relief at the beat-up Snowbound Lodge, where he rubbed his legs by the fire while the resident hiker thawed off and refreshed their Pokémon. Manny dozed off in front of the fire, so Hanny decided to turn in for the night, too.

The next morning, braving the perpetual blizzard, they rode north onto Route 217. In a very random encounter, Maylene stopped them. She was not wearing winter gear.

"I would normally Fly to Snowpoint, but I'm walking there for training purposes. I'm used to the cold because I'm always barefoot and lightly dressed." She sneezed so hard she bent double. Her eyes were defiant, though, when she sputtered, "I'm not cold!"

She hiked north, her lips trembling into a dark shade of blue. Hanny and Manny looked at each other, sitting upon their living furnaces.

"I will never understand why some humans sacrifice their wellbeing in the vain pursuit of physical perfection."

"Neither will I, Hanny. As a species, we are a lost cause in that department."

Hannah nodded. "Thank goodness we have Pokémon to distract us from ourselves."

Route 217 was a vast snowfield. Trainers were few and far between, but there was a shack halfway through the area, outside of which the Hidden Machine Rock Climb lay half-buried in the snow. After obtaining it, the Trainers went inside to find a hiker who had lost that same HM outside his hut. He rewarded them for their honesty with the Icicle Plate, upon the back of which was engraved, "_Three beings were born to bind time and space._"

"Years ago, I found it buried under the snow," the man boasted to Hanny.

"You mean it wasn't _on top_ of the snow?"

"Nope."

"Shocking!"

"I figure it to be of ancient origin, even as ancient as when Sinnoh came to being."

"You _figure_, huh? Well, I guess we _have_ to believe a big expert like you."

"You sure do, little lady."

To the northwest of his shack was another shack, inside of which was a young, thin woman with a faraway look in her deep-set eyes.

"Visitors… a rare sight. A gift…" she whispered, handing them a Spell Tag which powers up Ghost-type moves. They quickly left, creeped out by the human wraith.

Further north was the Acuity Lakefront. Mint was at the top of a climbable rock cliff.

"You guys are way too sloooooooooow. Y'all can't climb the rocks until y'all get Snowpoint's Gym Badge. I'm gonna fight Team Galactic right now!"

"Wait for us!" Manny shouted to deaf ears as the boy tore off.

Sighing, the pair rode east into Snowpoint City, resting at the Pokémon Centre to count the Pokémon Hanny had acquired during their ride in the blizzard.

"Snorunt, Snowver and Sneasel!"

"Don't forget the sibilant Swinub."

"Psh, _as if_ I'm going to use any of them."

They found Maylene in the dining area, thawing out. They sat down with her and she said, "I hope I see Candice soon, but I'm staying put until I warm up." She sneezed hard, hitting her forehead on the table, almost upsetting her steaming mug of tea. "Ow. Candice is a user of Ice-type Pokémon. She's so studious! She wanted to practice against me to learn about the Fighting type, because Ice matches badly with the Fighting type."

They had lunch with the Gym Leader, partaking of her aromatic masala chai that warmed them to the core.

Maylene was almost cheerful when she said, "I know you guys! You'll teach Candice not to take herself seriously!"

"If by 'teach' you mean 'beat up her friends and steal her shiny', then yes," Hanny said, sipping from the hot cup. They thanked her for the tea, then excused themselves. Hanny led Manny outside.

"I'm going to the clothes store."

Manny blinked.

"What for? Nobody ever changes their clothing, _ever_."

Hanny gave him a withering stare. She stomped off, hands tucked under her armpits. Manny shrugged and headed for the Gym.

"Hey, Champ-to-be!"

"Hey, Caretaker. Why is this place colder than outside?"

Manny was instructed to slide down the icy hills and through the valley of the Gym, where giant snowballs blocked his path. He was to use his momentum to break the snowballs apart.

"Um, no. My face is already numb, and I've only been inside this Gym for one minute."

He called Rapidash to his aid.

"You can't do that! There are rules!" Caretaker protested.

"Screw the rules, I have Pokémon!"

Rapidash breathed Flamethrower over the ice valley, turning the Centre of the Gym into a convenient arrangement of stairs and platforms that Manny traversed in a few seconds. The Gym Trainers on either side of the valley sent death glares that he gleefully ignored.

At the top of the Gym was, of course, its Leader. She was a teenager with black pigtails who wore a white, long-sleeved blouse resplendent with its blue bow, a _very _short brown skirt, blue and white striped socks and brown shoes. There was a blue sweater tied around her waist, as if she didn't fit the schoolgirl cliché strongly enough.

"You want to challenge Candice? Sure thing! I was waiting for someone tough!"

Manny gave the girl a look as though she had just transformed into a Jynx before his very eyes. "You did _not_ just refer to yourself in third person. Also, aren't you cold?"

"But I should tell you: I'm tough, because I know how to focus. Pokémon, fashion, romance… It's all about focus! I'll show you just what I mean. Get ready to lose!"

"Oh Lord, you _did_ refer to yourself in third person, _and_ talked about Pokémon and romance in the same breath! I'm going to have fun with you."

She first sent out a Sneasel, who managed to Ice Punch Keira before she KO'd it in one hit with Close Combat. Piloswine came next, who also fell to a single Close Combat, but without the dignity of getting off one attack. Abomasnow came next, but it too possessed little speed, and fell down from one Close Combat like its brethren, humiliated by its utter inability to attack the swift Keira. Candice stood with arms akimbo.

"I'm going to break the ice and bring out my last resort Pokémon!"

Manny covered his face with both hands, his mind crushed by the dead weight of that awful pun.

"Froslass, go!"

That woke him up.

"Keira, return!"

Manny wracked his brain, trying to remember Froslass's types.

"Ice and something! Oh, whatever. Rapidash, GO!"

"Froslass, use Psychic!"

"Rapidash, Flame Wheel!"

Rapidash was rocketed into the air by the telekinetic attack, but twisted her body so that her hooves smashed into the ceiling instead of her head. With a titanic kick, she dove, a meteor falling to earth. The second Psychic attack never hit. Candice was blasted clear off her platform by the shockwave of the impact. Sitting up, she smiled at Manny though she was woozy.

"I must say, I've warmed up to you! I might even admire you a little."

"If you don't stop those awful puns, I will burn your Gym to the ground."

"Froslass, return!"

The stunned glacial ghost became energy.

"You did really well, Froslass, I'm proud of you!" Candice said, then scrambled to her feet, dusting snow from her tiny skirt. She smiled at Manny, saying, "Wow, you're great! You've earned my respect. I think your focus and will bowled us over totally."

Without further exposition, Manny received the Icicle Badge and TM Avalanche.

"I wonder whether I should be colder and more distant to other people in order to reflect my Gym's elemental type?"

"Please do! Dress warmly while you're at it."

While Manny trekked back to the Pokémon Centre, he passed Hanny whom he did not recognise in her thick layers of winter gear, which included goggles and hoodie. All he knew was that half an hour later she was standing at the entrance, a shiny Icicle Badge on her mitten. She didn't have her headgear on, so he recognised her this time, and waved her over.

"Should we go help Mint, now?"

"Shut yer trap. I'm cold, and need warmth. Only you and that blonde psycho walk around in this weather with just a scarf."

Manny punched the sky. "Our metabolism is MAXIMUM! By the way, how did you listen to the schoolgirl without setting her Gym on fire?"

"I had earmuffs on."

"You're smarter than I am."

"I know."

888

So it came to pass that after thirty minutes of hot cocoa and snuggling with Zeke, the Cold One became the Warm One, and deigned to walk with the mortal boy to check up on his friend. They had their thralls Rock Climb to Lake Acuity.

There they found a scenario that not even the Warm One predicted: the purple bowl-cut psycho, Commander Jupiter, had actually defeated the blonde psycho! Despite the fact that almost two hours had passed since their arrival in Snowpoint, the battle appeared to have just concluded. Jupiter was so smug that the simpletons she called her minions were smug as well.

"Oh? Are you finished already? Your Pokémon aren't bad, but you're laughably weak. You honestly thought you could save the Pokémon of the lake? _And_ become the Pokémon Champion? Dream on, little kid. But, eww, it's so cold here, let's go back to the Veilstone HQ."

"Yes, Mistress," her minions droned.

She walked past the crestfallen Mint, encountering Hanny and Manny. She didn't recognise the walking pile of snow gear, but identified the boy. "Oh? Don't I know you? We met in Eterna City. Listen. Team Galactic is going to do something huge for everyone's sake. That's why you should keep out of Team Galactic's way. Don't come whining about poor Pokémon and other trivial junk like that. Don't waste your time coming to our HQ in Veilstone. Now, if you'll excuse me."

They allowed her and her entourage to pass, because Mint's scrunched-up face looked ready to cry. Manny and Hanny pondered the possibility that they had broken into some alternate reality, because Mint was looking at them but not talking.

"Yeah, that's right! I couldn't do anything against Team Galactic!" was his sudden outburst. He turned towards the lake, his shoulders drooping. "That Pokémon called Uxie… It was suffering…" He turned back to them. There was fire mixed with the tears in his eyes. "I'm going to get tougher… It's not about winning or losing… That's not good enough… I have to be stronger… It's not enough to just WANT to be the most powerful Trainer ever… It takes honest effort, and a determined heart."

Manny rested a hand on Mint's shoulder, squeezing. He looked at Hanny. "We can rebuild him. We have the technology."

"We can make him better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster."

"Manny, where did you get a talking Abomasnow?"

Hanny kicked him in the shin.

"OOOOOOOW! OW OW OW! Oh my gosh, it's Hanny!"

"We are going elsewhere to train. I think my left lung has frozen solid," Hanny coughed.

The three of them took Mint's words to heart. Flying south-southeast, they spent the night in Pastoria. The next morning they hiked to Valor Lakefront. They entered the Seven Stars Restaurant to have a word with its owners, Roman and Kylie. Throughout that day, the three Trainers had a monopoly on the restaurant patrons who desired a battle to work up their appetites. In exchange for this privilege, they paid the owners fifty percent of that day's prize money.

At sunset, Roman and Kylie promoted the vice-manager and announced that they were going on vacation for one month.


	22. Chapter 22: Veilstone and Galactic HQ

After a good night's sleep, the trio returned to Veilstone. At Team Galactic HQ a grunt was admiring the two gigantic antennae/satellite dishes.

"They're so sleek, so shiny! But my admiration is masked by my anger! _Grrr!_ Because of Manny and his cohorts, the higher-ups took my Clefairy away, and my partner moved to another country! I'm… I'm so lonely!"

Manny tapped the sobbing grunt on his shoulder.

"WAH! It's you! I know nothing about a Storage Key!"

He ran off. Before they turned around halfway, who should show up but Looker?

"Ah-hah! You leave this to me! The Storage Key for entering the Team Galactic hideout, I have right here. A frontal assault, it is not possible. But we can enter their hideout. Well? Will you enter the hideout? You have your reasons, yes?"

"GET ON WITH IT!" Hanny shouted.

"Very well. Inside the Team Galactic warehouse. We will meet there. Prepare the best you can. I shall join you shortly."

"Who is this 'we' you speak of?" Manny demanded.

"Me, myself and I! Now hurry!"

His eyebrows wagging dangerously, Looker sped westward into the city. The trio followed him.

Once everyone arrived at the warehouse, he spouted in his weird accent, "Ah, hello! I have kept you waiting. I will use this Storage Key I have obtained from the Team Galactic…"

_Ker-chunk!_

"Yes! It is opened! I will go on ahead, my friends. Do not expose yourselves to danger!"

Looker walked warily inside the open room before running down the stairwell.

The Trainers split up inside the warehouse, climbing up and down stairs, and teleporting all over the place.

After having a thought, Mint phoned Hanny. "Hanny, why doesn't Team Galactic patent their teleportation pads and sell them for countless trillions of dollars, rendering all personal transportation defunct?"

"Mint, these were stolen from Team Rocket. Giovanni sold the patents years ago and lives like a king."

"Why aren't they available to the public?"

"The world economy would collapse. The land, sea and air transport companies are sitting on the patents until oil and gas run out."

"Oh."

Hanny located a Dubious Disc that she gave to Glitch, Mint found the Galactic Key, but Manny just wandered around lost for fifteen minutes. Mint phoned the other two and they joined him outside, where they headed for the HQ.

"Manny, trade me your Alakazam."

"NO! You will NEVER take him from me, ever again!"

Hannah then proceeded to subject the boy to a headlock, wrenching the Pokéball from his belt amid impotent squeals of protest. She stuffed Glitch's Pokéball into his mouth to shut him up. Glitch's ball shone with diamond light, whereupon Hannah plucked it from his jaws to replace it with Alakazam's.

"I have a Porygon-Z!"

She summoned the digital creature. Glitch was now darker red and blue in colour, and his head was somehow detached from his body, floating upside down. He was much smoother and rounded, with ovals where his wings and tail had been.

"PROUD STATEMENT: I… AM… GLITCH!" he declared, twitchier and more spastic than ever. His voice held a darker and smoother tone, like oil flowing over ice. Hanny squee'd. He flinched at the high-pitched noise, then said, "OBSEQUIOUS STATEMENT: GLITCH IS READY TO SERVE… MASTER."

She hugged him, which further confused the discombobulated Pokémon. He emitted a series of burbles and chirps, which delighted Hanny all the more.

"I love you so much!"

"QUERY: MASTER, WHAT IS 'LOVE'?"

With that question in mind, she returned him to his Pokéball, pushing open Galactic's HQ door and venturing inside. After several stairwells and battles with testy grunts who all spouted the rhetoric of Cyrus, they turned a corner to find Looker secretly observing a huge gathering of Galactic grunts, lined up neatly and facing a stage.

"Psst! Here. Over here. This gathering of the Team Galactic… What is the meaning of it?"

Manny and company huddled beside Looker. The entire room went dark. A hush fell over the area. A gigantic LCD screen lit up with the spiky golden 'G' against a starfield. Cyrus walked onto Centre stage as the entire crowd of grunts cheered.

"Fellow members of Team Galactic! Hear me! My name, as I appear to you today, is Cyrus. This world of ours is a crude one. In a word, it is incomplete. It has been, and always will be, a struggle to survive in this world. We humans and Pokémon are likewise incomplete. Because we are all so lacking, we fight, we maim… It is ugly. I hate the incompleteness. That we are all incomplete, I hate it with my entire body and being. The world should be complete. The world must change."

The crowd of grunts cheered again.

"Then, who will change it? Me, Cyrus. And Team Galactic. Yes, all of you. Together we pored over myths and exposed their secrets. Together we captured legendary Pokémon. And now, Team Galactic has obtained the energy to change the world! The power of dreams is within our grasp!"

He paused for that to sink in.

"Understand it, fellow members! My long-held dreamworld is on the verge of becoming reality. All those headed to Mount Coronet, and those who remain here… Though our missions may differ, our hearts beat as one. Let there be glory for Team Galactic!"

_"WROOOAR!" _went the grunts.

"Master Cyrus is the greatest!" one shouted.

Cyrus left, the place darkened, all the grunts filed out.

"Whew. So, that was Cyrus, the boss of the Team Galactic. Quite the performance, no? Mesmerising for one only 27 years old… But to make the world for Team Galactic and none other? It is preposterous. So much so that it makes my head spin. A new world? What is that? And what is this incomplete world? Very well. To investigate such matters is the job of the International Police. Of which I am a member in good stead. And it is my job, therefore. We shall part ways here. Take extra care, my friends!"

He looked around, making sure the coast was clear before running to the western end of the meeting hall. The kids followed him into a teleporter. On the other side there were convenient beds, inviting their Pokémon to recover. There was a sign near the beds that read, "Please make sure the bed is unoccupied before getting into it."

Manny announced, "I'm going to have a nap while Cyrus carries out his dastardly plans."

"Make sure the bed is empty," Mint warned.

"Don't be silly, Mint. All the goons are scurrying about doing their leader's bidding."

Manny kicked off his shoes and socks, then got into a bed.

"EEEEEEK!"

Manny flew out of the bed. A female Galactic grunt poked her head out of the covers. Her eyes were as wide as a Hoothoot's.

"Who sleeps with the covers over their head?!" Manny shouted at her.

A male Galactic grunt came running onto the scene, shouting at barefoot Manny, "YOU HAVE SCANDALISED MY WIFE, YOU DIRTY PHILANDERER!"

"But, but, but..."

"YOU LECHEROUS ANIMAL!" the woman shrieked, smacking Manny with a pillow. "TO THINK THEY ARE TRAINING CHILDREN TO ENGAGE IN THE ART OF DEBAUCHERY!"

Mint and Hanny didn't know what to say, so the man bodily picked up his wife from the bed of sin and continued shouting: "COME, WOMAN, LET US LEAVE THIS FILTHY DEN OF HEDONISM!"

The woman began crying as she hung her arms about his neck, "TAKE ME SOMEWHERE CLEAN!"

The man stormed off with his wife carried in his arms. Manny was so stunned by the tirade that his friends had to drag him away, shoes and socks and all. They then headed upstairs to battle some more grunts while Manny clothed himself.

"We have special orders to take down the ten-year-old Trainers! We'll be promoted if we do!"

"So, Cyrus expects us," Hannah said with a wry smile, summoning Glitch to the field for a very short-lived combat.

At the end of the corridor they took another warp pad to a stairway leading upward. At the top was a door they opened with the Galactic Key. Within, Cyrus was facing a bank of monitors.

He turned to greet them. "So, you've come. You heard my speech, I take it." He snickered. "A big lie, of course. It's true insofar as my intention is to create a new world. But that world isn't for the likes of Team Galactic. I seek an entirely new world solely for myself. If not, it could never be the complete and perfect world. You've seen my minions of Team Galactic. You yourself must know that they are uniformly useless and incomplete."

He took a step towards them. They stepped backward. His voice was like acidic smoke, curling around them and threatening to dissolve all of their hopes and dreams.

"I know why you're here. I can sense it in you. It's about Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf, correct? You want to save them… I no longer have any need for them. I am finished with them. If your hearts ache to save them, go right ahead. I couldn't care less. It will save me the trouble of disposing of them. But, I must say… you are remarkable specimens. Those Pokémon have nothing to do with you, do they? But still you came to rescue them out of pity? Such pitifully useless emotions… it's illogical and irrational. Pity and compassion are products of the weak and faulty human heart. You were compelled to come here by such vacuous sentimentality! I will make you regret paying heed to your heart!"

He called Sneasel to the field. Mint stepped forward, but Manny raised his hand, checking Mint's zeal.

"I will be your opponent."

He brought Keira, his Staraptor to the battle. Cyrus smirked.

"Sneasel is far more powerful."

"This battle was never about strength; it is about belief. Close Combat, now!"

"Ice Punch!"

The ice comet collided with the bullet, but only one shattered. Sneasel fell, laid low in one blow. Cyrus recalled him.

"Crobat, Bite!"

"Keira, use Return!"

Again, the swifter Pokémon belonged to Cyrus, so Keira, already severely weakened from the Ice Punch, collapsed in Crobat's cruel jaws.

"Return. You did exceptionally well, Keira!"

"Pokémon deserve no praise."

"Humans and Pokémon alike thrive on words of encouragement!"

"It is that spirit I will destroy!"

"Now, Luxray, go! Use Spark!"

"Crobat, another Bite!"

With its preternatural speed, Crobat outmanoeuvred Luxray to score a vicious bite on the Pokémon's back, but Luxray turned the Spark into a Discharge attack, knocking Crobat out cold.

"Well done! You thought on your paws, and won!"

"All I see is a disobedient Pokémon, without discipline!" Cyrus sneered, recalling the unconscious Crobat.

"Do you really believe that mindlessly following orders will get you anywhere? You yourself insulted your Mareep-like followers!"

"Silence! Honchkrow, attack with Night Slash!"

"You're faster than this one, Luxray! Try Spark again!"

Indeed, he was the swifter, and slammed into Honchkrow, but the stout bird Pokémon withstood the worst, and cracked Luxray on the noggin with his most powerful attack. Luxray splayed all fours on the ground.

"Return for a good rest. You will only get stronger, Luxray!"

"What other sacrifices do you have for me?"

"There will be no more. I summon Vaporeon in attack mode!"

"Night Slash!"

"ICE BEAM!"

The ranged assault finished charging before the mêlée move connected, and Honchkrow took the frigid blast of winter fury full in his beak.

"Interesting. And quite curious," Cyrus acknowledged when Honchkrow was safe in his ball. "I see. You are indeed strong. And the basis of your power is your compassion toward Pokémon. How wasteful… Such emotions are but mere illusions. And, like all illusions, they fade over time until death banishes them forever. That is why I have abandoned all emotions as useless sentimentality. But that doesn't matter. I doubt you will ever understand my position."

"No kidding."

"That said, I recognise you are strong and courageous to fight me alone. This is your reward."

He walked over to proffer a deep purple Pokéball. The boy offered a blank stare in return, but took the ball.

"The Master Ball is the ultimate Pokéball. It will unfailingly catch any Pokémon in the wild. But it is not anything that I require. Unlike you Trainers, I do not make Pokémon my friends or partners. Unlike other Team Galactic members, I don't use Pokémon as tools. Instead, I make the power of Pokémon my own."

He walked to the eastern exit of the room then turned around.

"If you wish to save the Pokémon from the lakes, take the warp panel ahead. I am off to Mount Coronet. I will ascend the mountain to its peak where destiny awaits me. It is there that I will create my new world…"

He exited east, taking the southern, green warp panel. Fat steel pillars rose to ensure his escape from the pursuing Trainers, who were left with no choice but to take the northern warp panel.

888

They entered a dark room with green tubes lining the corridors. In each tube, something resembling an egg was floating.

"What is this place?" Mint yelled at the nearest scientist he could find. The lady looked upon their young, zealous faces. She shrank away from the righteous indignation shining there. At that moment she gained the bitter knowledge of how awful Goodness is. For the first time in her life, she examined herself, and did not like what she found.

"I denounce my work here!" the woman blurted, shaking her head. "I am sickened by it!"

Further down the corridor, another scientist turned away from one of the green tubes, his face contorted with disgust. He told the children, "I have doubts about what Master Cyrus has planned with the thing we made." He turned with outstretched hand to his colleague. "Come, Karen, let us leave this place and never speak of it again."

"May these gods forgive us for what we have done to them!" Karen cried, and ran away with her partner in crime.

At the end of the corridor was a door leading north. Inside were the three Pokémon of the lakes, who were trapped inside hi-tech holding devices. They appeared to be in great pain: Mesprit's tail twitched, Uxie's eyes were screwed shut, and Azelf was shuddering. Hannah screwed up her face, reaching for a Pokéball to somehow free the captives, but Manny belayed her, raising one finger to his lips for silence.

At the head of the room, Charon and Saturn were facing what appeared to be a supercomputer. The Trainers snuck in, overhearing their conversation.

"Fuhyahya! Those Pokémon of the lakes, where do you suppose they would go?"

Saturn turned to him with a suspicious look on his face. "What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing. Pay it no heed. A new world isn't overly interesting. What of it? If Cyrus is right, then Team Galactic will rule that new world. That's when it will be interesting. A chance to enjoy its sweets. I surely hope that our visionary Cyrus realises his dream. I look forward to whatever our beloved leader has planned atop Mount Coronet."

Saturn looked askance at the older man before returning his attention to the supercomputer. "Gramps. Our boss can do without your kind of moral support."

The Trainers chose this moment to confront Saturn. He growled at them. "You… you came all the way here just to save some Pokémon? Though it's nothing new, I can't say I understand our boss… Why would he let kids like you come and go freely…? We, Team Galactic, take all that we need, and eliminate what we do not. But anyway. You've taken the trouble to come. Let me welcome you! Consider it payback for your insulting me at the lake."

"Glitch… Glitch will destroy you for what you have done to them," Hannah promised. When her servant appeared, he was, if possible, more agitated.

"EAGER QUERY: IS THERE SOMEONE YOU WISH ME TO KILL, MASTER?"

"Cute. Golbat, go! Use Bite!"

"Glitch, Tri-Attack!"

So mighty had Glitch become that Golbat was nailed to the wall with but one attack.

Saturn began to worry. He plucked another Pokéball from his belt. "Bronzor, you can withstand his attacks! Use Confuse Ray!"

Hannah laughed. "Oh, that's rich. Confuse Ray on a _Porygon-Z_."

The ray was no match for Glitch's already erratic behaviour.

"Use Discharge!"

The Bronzor wavered, electricity arcing from its metallic body to the floor, but it did not fall.

"Use Gyro Ball!"

"Another Discharge!"

This time the lightning strike worked, and Bronzor thudded inert on the ground. Saturn shouted, balling his fists.

"WHY CAN'T I GET IN _ONE_ HIT?!"

"Your Pokémon are so slow, they're going backwards."

"This one isn't! Toxicroak, to battle! Use Brick Break!"

"Tri-Attack!"

That hurt Glitch, who flew across the room and bounced off a wall. Meanwhile, Toxicroak was nailed to the same place on the wall Golbat had been. Their speed was about evenly matched, but the difference was that Glitch was still conscious after the exchange of blows.

Saturn growled low in his throat. "You're tough, kid! But, I still pity the likes of you." He returned his Pokémon. Looking at the ball, and his defeat, he bared his teeth at Hannah. "Gah! What makes you so tough? Fine… do whatever you want with those three Pokémon. Press the button on that machine to set them free."

Hanny did so, releasing the containment fields. The three Lake Pokémon vanished, having teleported out of the building.

"Our boss crafted a Red Chain from crystals he took from the three Pokémon. That Red Chain is what he needed to shackle something on Mount Coronet. It's also apparently needed for creating something. But that's all I know. Who knows what he's planning to do up there?"

"It can wait. Glitch, make sure he suffers."

"GLEEFUL STATEMENT: WITH PLEASURE, MASTER."

A small brown sphere dropped from Saturn's hand, producing a thick white cloud of smoke. Glitch tried a Shadow Ball, but when the smoke disappeared, so had Saturn.

"Don't worry, Glitch. We'll get him next time."

Curiously, the old man Charon remained behind. He looked at the three wrathful children, but just shrugged.

"Team Galactic's state of affairs is worrying if mere children can defeat not only our Commanders, but leader as well. I don't even know whether Cyrus's plan will work. I believe another option should be considered… one befitting of the genius of Charon!"

The man started an evil cackle. After a few moments, it was clear the man would not stop laughing, so the Trainers left him to his own devices, his evil mirth following them up the corridor.

They returned to the room that would teleport them outside the building, noting along the way that the scientists had disappeared. Before they left the otherwise abandoned building, Manny stopped to read the Team Galactic report in Cyrus's room. Skimming through the notes, he learned that Cyrus planned to shackle the mythical Pokémon that created Sinnoh, because capturing it in a Pokéball would prevent it from using its full power.

"That is madness. How on Earth did Cyrus come up with this information? The mythical Pokémon that created Sinnoh could not have been captured before… right?"

Mint and Hanny just gave him a blank look. They had, after all, just released three legendary Pokémon from captivity.

The southern green warp panel was now available; the steel pillars blocking it had receded into the floor. They were teleported to the entrance of Team Galactic HQ.

888

Leaving that desecrated building, the Trainers recuperated at the Centre before purchasing supplies at the Veilstone Pokémon MegaMart. While Hanny perused the plethora of Pokémon paraphernalia, Manny and Mint rode the elevator to the fifth floor: the rooftop plaza. There, they planted themselves before one vending machine each and bought one hundred Fresh Waters and one hundred Lemonades _each_. They ignored the overpriced Soda Pop.

"Mint, how is it possible that a single vending machine has over two hundred cans in it?"

"Manny, those two hundred cans are now inside of your backpack, which has neither increased in weight nor size. I suggest you stop asking questions."

"A wise course of action. We must not question our magical bags of holding."

"Hey guys," Hanny said, stepping out the elevator. "Why aren't there any stairs leading to the rooftop? If there was an electrical blackout here, everyone in this building would be trapped like Rattata."

"Hannah, if the proprietors of this MegaMart _want_ people to jump to their deaths during a disaster, then that is their business. Did you find anything interesting?"

"I bought one hundred Lava Cookies in the basement because they cost two hundred Pokédollars each, and do _the exact same thing_ as Full Heals, which cost six hundred apiece."

The boys ran for the elevator (hopefully Hannah had not bought out the entire stock) but Manny was yanked short by the girl.

"I am not spending half an hour waiting for Lemonade cans to drop one by one."

She flung the boy on the ground, rolled him over with the heel of her shoe and stole all of his Lemonade.

"Those are mine! Lemme go!"

"I just saved you forty thousand Pokédollars and this is how you thank me?"

"But Mint is going to buy the rest of the cookies!"

"Poor baby. Guess you'll have to waste money on Full Heals."

After escaping and ensuring she had not taken any Fresh Waters, Manny cursed at the elevator for taking so long to arrive and descend. He finally burst out of the verbally abused lifting machine: Mint was about to debit twenty thousand Pokédollars from his credit card!

"NOOOOOO!"

He body-checked his opponent. Mint's credit card and scarf went flying.

"My dear lady," Manny said to the clerk while keeping one foot on Mint's chest, "I will pay you _thirty thousand _Pokédollars for all hundred cookies!"

"Hey, MANNY used SUBMISSION!" Mint said after regaining the wind knocked out of him. The clerk blinked.

"Um… thank you, but we have several thousand cookies in stock. Nobody buys them."

Manny allowed Mint to stand. The boy dusted Manny's footprint off his shirt.

"Why?" Manny asked the clerk, eyebrow arched.

"We don't advertise."

"If you put a single advertisement on the radio or television, you would put the entire Full Heal industry out of business."

"The boss back in Lavaridge Town is a cheapskate. I only get paid two hundred Pokédollars a week!"

Manny and Mint winced.

"Wow, um, that's sad. We'll take a hundred cookies each, please," Manny requested, holding out his credit card.

The clerk brightened up. "Thank you for your patronage! Hey, three hundred cookies sold in a day. I might get a raise!"

"Seriously, hand out flyers outside the MegaMart, or something. You'd get rid of every last cookie within minutes," Mint advised, retrieving his fallen scarf.

"You know what? I will! I'm gonna design them myself, and get them photocopied at the Boss's expense! She'll have to recognise me, then!"

"Or you'll get fired and she'll hire a temp worker at an even lower salary," Manny shrugged, shouldering his miraculously unstuffed backpack as he headed for the elevator. Mint lingered with the clerk.

"Don't listen to him. Make flyers AND posters! Go to Jubilife TV station with free samples! The whole of Sinnoh will go mad!"

The clerk's eyes sparkled. "You're so right! If things aren't selling, I should be advertising! Why, it's common sense! Thank you, strange blonde boy!"

Mint stood up a little taller. "Just doin' my job, ma'am. You have a great day."


	23. Chapter 23: Coronet and Team Galactic

After stocking up on vital supplies, the Trainers had a hearty lunch on the rooftop plaza, not forgetting to feed and water their own Pokémon. Fat and happy, they flew to Oreburgh City, taking Route 207 east into Mount Coronet. Using their Pokémon, they surfed to the northeast area of the cave. There, they rock climbed into a new area, where they used HM Strength to push boulders out of the way. They spied a northwestern entryway that seemed to have been recently blasted open; there was rubble littering the ground around it. Detective Looker appeared behind them. By now, the Trainers had accepted the fact that adults possessed the ability to teleport directly to their location without making a sound.

"Observe, if you will, that hole. There was once a cave painting that had blocked the way to the summit. But the wall, it is no longer there. It lies in pieces. Do you see? Ever since the three Pokémon of the lakes have been captured… Something terrible is happening, but what exactly, I do not know." He turned away, smacking a fist into his open palm. "There is but one cause! Team Galactic's Cyrus! And now, we are all caught up. Now, to the next step. Are you Trainers enough to advance? Show me, if you will!" he commanded, his eyebrows waggling fiercer than ever.

The Trainers looked at each other, pleased to discover that they all shared the same frustration.

"Looker," Mint said, "I'm way madder at Team Galactic than you are, but you've gotta stop pushing us around!"

"Yeah!" Manny chimed in. "You're three times our age! Learn to take some responsibility for yourself!"

"Use that huge walkie-talkie in your trench coat and call for backup! What Cyrus is planning to do will become an international incident. What if we fail, huh? Did you think of that possibility?" Hannah asked.

The detective paused for a moment, staring at them. Then, an amazing change came over him. His eyebrows rose. He smiled. He stood up straight, uncurling from his usual sneaky posture.

"Hahaha! You can relax now. You see, I understand. You are far superior to me. As are the Commanders. Cyrus, too, naturally. Team Galactic is beyond my reach… Please, you must stop them! For only you are able! All I can do now is give you this. It is a little something I obtained in an investigation long ago."

Manny received the Black Flute. The children were stupefied. Looker had even dropped the weird accent.

"Please! You must stop Team Galactic!" he implored. They noted it was the first time he didn't say "the" Team Galactic.

"You really are just a normal person. I'm a little disappointed, to tell you the truth," Hanny remarked. She then herded the boys through the blasted doorway.

When all was quiet, Looker switched on his walkie-talkie. When the static cleared, he spoke in a clear, determined voice. Gone was his façade of incompetence. Instead, he projected an aura of conviction.

"This is Codename Looker 0312. Sir, I am no longer of use to this investigation. In my place, I have deputised three ten-year-old Trainers on whom I have built an absolute trust. No, backup will not arrive in time to stop Cyrus; he has already begun the ritual. Yes, sir, I understand the implications of my decision. I will hand in my badge… if there is still a world tomorrow."

888

The trio headed upstairs to find a Galactic grunt, then another, who slowed them down with battles. The group headed outside to a grassy, snowy area, then inside again to a waterfall area. They climbed the cavern, battling another grunt, then another, before heading out an eastern exit. Snowy cliffs surrounded them on all sides, thus they were forced to use Rock Climb to reach the high ridges.

"I can see half of Sinnoh from here!" Mint observed.

"Mint, there are wild Absol in this area. I can smell them," Hanny said while consulting her Pokédex.

"You guys, the world is at stake!" Manny reminded them.

"Filling my Pokédex is more important," she replied.

"Yeah, the bad guys always wait for us to arrive, Manny. You should know that by now," Mint scoffed.

A grumbling Manny carried on, climbing higher to enter yet another cave. He was slowed down again… and again… and again by Pokémon battles with grunts.

At the peak of Mount Coronet, Manny walked onto a grand stone platform studded with Doric columns. The platform and columns were ancient, yellowed by time, and crumbling in places. For some obfuscating reason, the top of each column had been hewed into a point.

"So this is the legendary Spear Pillar."

Manny was again stopped by grunts, but _two_ of them this time.

"If you let me pass, I'll give you free Lemonade," Manny bribed them. Unfortunately, the grunts did not have time to consider his offer because Hanny and Mint showed up.

"I caught an Absol before Hanny did!" Mint boasted. "Now we shall be tormented by natural disasters!"

"I'll trade with him later to get the entry in my Pokédex. Absol is cute!" Hanny squee'd. "Manny, take Mint and go on ahead. I'll deal with these two jokers."

"Thanks, Hanny!" the boys chorused while the combatants summoned their respective Pokémon.

They saw Cyrus on the middle of the platform, standing before some arcane symbol engraved on the stone, but two familiar hairstyles greeted them.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mars demanded, holding out her arms to bar them. "I won't let you disturb our boss. If you're not going to listen, you'll have to go through me first. After all, you've made me look bad more times than I care to remember!"

"And I'll be next," said Jupiter. "You might be tough, but this time, the gloves are coming off!"

"Hold on one second!" Mint yelled, confronting Jupiter. "Don't you start the party without me!"

"Huh?" Jupiter said, looking at the blonde kid.

Mint gave her a thumbs-down. "Remember me? I'm here to get revenge!"

"Ha! If it isn't that little boy. The little crybaby from Lake Acuity. Did you toughen up? Sure, let's battle two-on-two!"

The Galactic commanders used two Bronzor, two Golbat, a Purugly and a Skuntank. The boys verily vanquished them.

"Heh," Mint smirked. "My Pokémon are tough, right? I can get ever tougher! But, you know, that's it for us. We've hit the wall," Mint puffed, sitting on the ground.

"Stop lying! I'm the one who was battling all those grunts while you chased down an innocent Absol!"

"Manny, I'll help you with this!"

Using the contents of his backpack, Mint fully healed Manny's Pokémon!

"Hey, Manny! This is it! It's your show now!"

Mint got to his feet, taking a few steps back.

Manny looked to Cyrus who began a customary monologue: "Everything is ready for the creation of a new world. Now, all will end. And everything will begin. With this, the Red Chain made from the crystals of the three Lake Pokémon… and this, the Red Chain I replicated with technological means… with these Red Chains I will pry open the portal to another dimension. I command that you unleash you power for me…"

The Red Chains circled Cyrus in a double-helix, charged with blistering red energy, spinning faster and faster until they disappeared.

"Dialga, the mythical Pokémon, and the master of time! And the other. Palkia, the mythical Pokémon, and the master of space and dimensions!"

With two mighty cries, the legendary Pokémon appeared before Cyrus. Each had a Red Chain wrapped around its neck, like bloody necklaces. Manny's eyes dilated with wonder.

Dialga looked like an armour-clad sauropod. Its body was royal blue with glowing, sky-blue lines running along its limbs and comparatively short tail. Its metallic grey armour was actually growing out of its body to form short horns, a chest plate, spiky plates along the back of its neck, tail 'feathers' and claws. The centre of its chest plate held a blue diamond, which was the size of Manny's torso. Though leashed, Dialga stood erect and proud, the stone platform cracking beneath its weight; a streamlined, steel mountain on four legs.

Palkia resembled an armoured theropod. Its light purple body was striped with glowing violet lines. It had short, gauntlet-covered arms and metallic claws. Its huge, round, striped shoulder plates each held a pink pearl the size of Manny's head. Its long neck and horned head were protected by natural armour that swept along its back in the shape of vast metallic wings. Palkia stood squat, hunched over its short, pillar-like legs, its titanic claws digging into the stone platform, its tremendous tail swishing with anger at being leashed.

No sooner had these living gods appeared than a new phenomenon occurred. Above Mount Coronet, the three Lake Pokémon appeared, circling the peak like three stars. Cyrus took notice.

"I should have expected as much. Uxie, 'The Being of Knowledge'. Azelf, 'The Being of Willpower'. And Mesprit, 'The Being of Emotion'."

The pantheon stupefied Manny. His limbs were jelly. He forgot how to breathe. Who but the stoutest of hearts, with firmly-seated indomitable mind, could stand before gods and live?

Cyrus turned to face the boy, his calm voice unnerving: "The Pokémon have come to protect Sinnoh? Pathetic and worthless. It takes the three of them, the three Lake Pokémon that symbolise spirit, to balance either the Pokémon of time or space. But they can't maintain balance against the two. Not when both Dialga and Palkia are here. Their coming here is in vain. So much meaningless drama. Now, Manny."

"Huh?" the boy blurted, trying his best not to be overawed. At least he was breathing again.

"You've constantly interfered with my plans, but you will be forgiven. After all, there will remain no spirit for all time when I am done. All spirit will disappear. It will be ripped away… From you! From your Pokémon! From those precious to you…! It is time! My dream will be my reality!"

The area around them darkened, though it was midday. Cyrus grimaced, his shoulders slowly becoming hunched, as though an inexorable weight rested on them.

"What is this pressure I feel…? Something… is enraged?"

Behind Cyrus, puddles of pure darkness seeped from the floor, flowing together to form a fathomless hole in reality. A gigantic dragon's head, obsidian, with glowing red eyes, emerged from the portal with a bellow, staring down Cyrus, its dark wings folded around its body. Six blood red talons along its wings undulated rhythmically.

"Interesting," Cyrus grunted, attempting but failing to straighten his back. "So, there is a Pokémon that can only appear as a shadow."

The shadow dragon roared and unfolded its wings, raining drops of liquid blackness that splattered the ground and faded away.

"Regardless, the effort is rash and foolish. I have harnessed the powers of Dialga and Palkia… I, Cyrus, won't have any more interfere-"

His last word was lost in an echo as the shadow dragon arched backwards then sprang forward, engulfing Cyrus and dragging him into the dark portal. Dialga and Palkia disappeared through blue and purple rifts in space-time.

Once this drama drew to a close, Cynthia showed up.

"No!" she screamed.

The three Lake Pokémon also entered the dark portal, disappearing.

"I'm sorry I took so long," she apologised to Manny.

"But you can teleport! You could have been here before us! I am sure that Abra runs in your family!"

"I think I finally found the answer from studying the myths. When this world was made, Dialga and Palkia appeared. Apparently, there was one more Pokémon that appeared at the same time. A Pokémon with as much power as Dialga and Palkia… But also one whose name was never to be spoken… 'Giratina'!"

"But you just spoke the name!"

"I know, but what with the impending apocalypse and all, some taboos are meant to be broken."

"That unspeakable name sounds like Gina and Tina. Is it a girl Pokémon?"

"It's said to lurk in another world… A world on the opposite side of ours… That's what the shadow was. It must have been Giratina."

Cynthia looked around at the Spear Pillar. The stone was melting and shifting beneath their feet. The sharp columns were keeling over as though made of wax. Mint touched a pillar, and his hand went inside it. With a yelp, he withdrew his hand. His handprint melted along with the stone, but it gave off no heat. Reality itself was bending and shifting!

"The pillars are distorting. It's because of that portal: it's joined us to the other world. If it's not closed, the distortion will spread to Sinnoh and beyond… Our world will be destroyed…"

That was the last straw for Manny.

"No more Internet? No more instant messaging, no more pictures of cats? No more VIDEO GAMES?! I must not allow that to happen!"

"Are you ready? We've got to chase Cyrus!"

"CHASE him? A legendary dragon of pure darkness DRAGGED him into another dimension! I think we're chasing Giratina, not him!"

"You need to get ready? I'll wait here."

Manny fetched his partners in crime.

"Come with me and Cynthia, you guys!"

"You've done lost your mind! I don't want to die!" Hanny protested.

"Me neither! That dark dragon is scarier than Hanny!" Mint shivered, hugging himself.

"Are you guys kidding me? After all we've gone through? I will make an angry _YouTube_ video and write an even angrier _LiveJournal_ entry when I get back!"

"But you and Cynthia will die if you go into that portal! This isn't like fighting a bunch of retards in jumpsuits, Manny! This is life and death!" Hanny argued.

"I know! That's why I have to go: I WANT TO LIVE! I want to chat with people on the Internet and play video games!"

"What about preventing seven billion people from dying?" Mint asked. Manny shrugged.

"That's important too, I guess."

Manny and Cynthia jumped into the dark portal. After much hemming and hawing, Mint and Hanny called their parents to say their goodbyes. Hannah's parents picked up first.

"Mom, Dad, I'm jumping into a dark abyss to chase a vengeful god. I'll probably get killed."

_"Have fun!"_ her Dad said over the phone.

_"Send us a postcard at the resort!"_ added her Mom.

"…I hate you."

_"We love you too!"_ they replied. _Click._

Mint's mother picked up. He had her on speaker phone.

"Hi Mom…"

_"Mint, a Riolu hatched out of the egg!"_

Mint brightened up. "Hanny, good news! A Riolu!"

_"Come home soon to play with her!"_

"A girl Riolu? Roserade will finally have someone else to look after!"

_"He's feeding her a bottle right now! I'll take a picture and text it to you!"_

Roserade was cradling a tiny Riolu in the blue rose bouquet that was his left hand, and somehow holding a milk bottle in the red rose bouquet that was his right hand. The Riolu looked sleepy while it drank. Hanny and Mint stared at the picture.

_"It's just like when you were a baby!"_ his mother cooed.

Mint wiped away tears. "Mom, she's beautiful. I know you'll take good care of her. Goodbye…"

_"Bye, Mint!"_

_"Roserade!"_ he heard his surrogate father wish him well. _Click._

"Hanny, we have to go."

She seemed to have something in her eyes. "Y-yeah."


	24. Chapter 24: Distortion World

On the other side, an impatient Manny greeted them with arms akimbo.

"Why are your eyes all puffy? Mint, you got snot dribbling down your chin."

The four Trainers stood on reddish rocky ground. Blue-black rocks were floating in mid-air, or mid-space. What mattered was that, somehow, they could breathe. It was cold, but not a debilitating cold. Stretching away from them in all directions was an infinite blue-black abyss. They stared into it, knowing that it was staring right back at them. A trail of black splatters lead from the portal along the reddish road, no doubt left by Giratina.

"This place… Can you feel it?" Cynthia asked. "There are no Pokémon here at all."

Manny leaped with joy.

"Oh, thank sweet Heaven! No stinky Repel spray! No random battles!"

"Time isn't flowing," Cynthia continued. "Space isn't stable. A world where the rules are broken."

"Ha ha ha! I'm running around and no wild Pokémon are harassing me!"

"A space one might call the Distortion World… Let's find Giratina. We need it to stop the spreading distortion at the Spear Pillar."

"Oh sure, we'll just find the vengeful dark dragon god and smack her nose with a rolled-up newspaper. _That_ will teach her some manners!"

Cynthia took a step forward. Giratina zoomed overhead, passing them with an unearthly cry. Hannah picked Manny up from his cringe.

"We have to hurry!" Cynthia ordered, her platinum eyes blazing with urgency. "If something's not done, even the Distortion World will be overcome!"

"Blah blah blah, world coming to an end, yadda yadda. Are we going to talk Giratina to death, too?" Hannah asked.

They jumped over infinitely deep chasms, went down an elevator rock (there was no other way to describe it; the free-floating chunk just carried them down), then found Mesprit who showed them the way forward… along a vertical rock face.

"Mesprit, you can _fly._ We can't," Mint waved his hands.

"Meeeeeee!" the genderless wonder insisted, bobbing up and down.

"Oh fine, I might as well be the first to go!"

Hannah took a running leap at the rock face, intending to grab onto the top edge with her hands, but instead her entire body flipped ninety degrees. Her feet landed on the platform. She stayed there, offering a perplexed look to her companions.

"Why are you guys sideways?"

Manny tilted his head. "We're not sideways; you are!"

Mint held a hand to his forehead. "I'm getting dizzy."

They followed her. They all then jumped sideways onto a vertical rock surface. They stuck to it, feeling thoroughly disoriented. Mesprit laughed at them and zoomed off.

"This place is Escher's playground," Hanny said.

Cynthia ran on ahead, more accustomed to the impossible than they. When they caught up with her she was muttering to herself.

"Why does Giratina live here alone?"

"Why wouldn't she?" Manny shrugged with upheld palms. "This place is awesome. Gravity is meaningless!"

Cynthia ran off again, feeling a much clearer sense of duty than the children. After some more elevator rocks, Cyrus found the kids. The Trainers were more surprised than he.

"The shadowy Pokémon isn't here. It abandoned me here, then disappeared somewhere farther down… Was it content merely to interfere with my plan…? Incidentally, do you understand the concept of genes?"

Mint nodded. "They're comfy and easy to wear."

Cyrus took a deep breath. "No. Of course you wouldn't. Genes can be considered the blueprints of all life-forms. That includes humans and Pokémon alike. Genes are contained in a DNA strand. A DNA strand consists of two chains of opposing characteristics in a spiral. If one of the chains were to be broken, the other could replicate it. One or the other cannot exist without its opposite. Do you understand where I am going with this? This is a bizarre world. Time doesn't flow. Space isn't stable. Only that shadowy Pokémon lives here. This world is the opposite of our world – our world I wish to change. It is like the two chains composing a strand of DNA. The two worlds must be balancing each other to remain in existence. Without the one, the other cannot exist. The shadowy Pokémon must play a role in keeping the worlds in balance. That is why it must have interfered and brought me here. The shadowy Pokémon must have made this bizarre world. That's why trying to change our world disturbed it and made it reveal itself. But that is all irrelevant."

"Then why did you bore Mint to sleep?" Manny asked, with Mint snoring on his shoulder.

Cyrus sneered. "What matters is defeating _that_ Pokémon and making _this_ world disappear."

"You JUST TOLD US that our world depends on the existence of this one!" Hannah shouted.

"I won't allow it to interfere with me again. With it gone, neither world will be able to revert to its original state…"

Cyrus walked off.

Hannah adjusted her glasses, her grey-green eyes sparkling. "Manny, I thought you and Mint were loopy, but that guy just contradicted himself on a cosmic scale. We must stop him!"

"Why didn't we just stop him here?"

"Pfffft, obviously, this isn't the dramatically appropriate moment. Now wake up Mint so we can move!"

More elevator rocks and disappearing platforms later, they found Uxie (the cutest one, Hanny said) between two pools of water and some freakish plant life. After descending another elevator rock, they found Cynthia again.

"This whole place is a giant puzzle. Giratina is testing us, but the Lake Pokémon are also eager to show us something."

Cynthia just stood there like a puzzled angel, so the younger generation took the initiative. Going up once more, the trio went through a grand maze. Judging by the behaviour of the Lake Pokémon, the Trainers understood that they were to make their Pokémon push boulders into pits. They found Mesprit, saw Giratina's great shadow flying overhead, and even spied Cyrus, who ran away the moment he saw them. After more ridiculous feats of sideways walking and even SURFING upside down, they somehow surfed directly down a waterfall without falling. Every surface seemed to have its own gravitational pull, even the water! Finally, Azelf indicated the final boulder to be pushed in. The Trainers returned to the upper level and pushed the boulders into the pits beside each Lake Pokémon.

They returned to Cynthia after their task. She said the lake Pokémon had probably gone home. An elevator rock appeared behind her, and she alleged that they were "getting close".

Making their descent, Cynthia hopped off the elevator rock and went forward to meet Cyrus.

"So, you were already here," she greeted him.

Cyrus walked towards Manny and company, pushing Cynthia aside, but Cynthia grabbed his arm, almost yanking the taller man off his feet. Her voice was pleading, as were her platinum eyes. "Why do you seek to change the world? If you hate our world, you should just go off somewhere alone. Find somewhere where you can live without seeing others."

Manny snorted. "Like this Distortion World. You'd be happy as a Clamperl in this place!"

Cyrus was as acerbic as ever. "Why should I run and hide from the world and have to wait quietly? My aim is to rid the world of the vague and incomplete thing we call 'spirit'. By freeing ourselves of that, our world can be made complete. That is my justice! No-one can interfere!"

Though Cynthia's grip was vice-like, he shrugged it off. He was no weakling, either.

"That's no justice at all!" Cynthia shouted behind him.

Manny walked forward, confronting Cyrus. The man's cold, quiet demeanour suddenly became furious. "I won't lose! Not to that shadowy Pokémon! Not in any worthless world!"

He summoned Houndoom. Manny countered with Vaporeon who spat a flood of water from his mouth, manipulating it into a giant wave that crashed into Houndoom, almost sending the Pokémon over the edge and into the abyss. Weavile was next, and proved to be faster, but Vaporeon's Acid Armour saved him from Night Slash, allowing him to smash the dark creature with Surf. However, another Night Slash did him in, so Manny summoned Luxray who, although suffering a Night Slash to the face, countered with Discharge and knocked Weavile out. Cyrus's Gyarados attempted to end the battle with Earthquake, but received a Discharge before it could disturb the ground. Honchkrow came next, its tremendous fortitude absorbing a Discharge before finishing Luxray off with Night Slash. Crobat was Cyrus's last hope, so Manny brought out Alakazam to crush it with Psychic.

Cyrus raised both fists to the alien sky with a wounded cry: "My new world, my new galaxy will be swept away by your reality!"

Manny returned Alakazam, breathing a sigh of momentary relief, but Cyrus would not allow him a moment of respite. He pointed at Manny, taunting the boy with a prophecy of doom: "Don't think that you can defeat or capture that Pokémon. This bizarre world is none other than _that Pokémon itself!_ Capturing or defeating it will make this world disappear!"

Manny looked at the Pokéball in his hand. He lifted his head to stare into those awful beady eyes and said, "Cyrus, _you_ proved to us that legendary Pokémon can be captured. If capturing Giratina is the only way to save the world, then we will!"

Cyrus threw his hands into the air. "Very well! Do what you will! Rather than repairing the world, you're going to destroy it for me! Do it. You inherit my legacy."

Cyrus walked past them with the galaxy on his shoulders.

Cynthia held Manny's shoulders with both hands, because the boy was trembling. She clucked her tongue. "Don't believe his lies. It's not possible that a Pokémon can make the world disappear."

Hannah had something to say about that: "Cynthia, YOU told us that Giratina's portal will destroy both this world and ours!"

Cynthia waved her hand. "Forget I said that! The world awaited your birth. Not only yours, either. The Pokémon with you. The people close to you. All Pokémon and people were born because they have a part in the world. I'm convinced of that. Giratina won't go out of existence. The Distortion World won't disappear. Our world won't disappear, either. Let's go meet Giratina."

"D-d-do we h-h-have t-to?" Mint stuttered.

Cynthia grabbed his hand. "YES!"

He whined. Cynthia took a moment to heal Manny's Pokémon with her supplies. _Where_ she carried supplies on that sheer black dress is anyone's guess.

"Either one of you guys want a crack at her?" Manny offered. Hanny and Mint shook their heads vigorously. He grumped. "The LEAST you could do is record this on your cell phones. Giratina may be a Pokémon, but she's fully capable of vaporising me, all the same."

Hanny and Mint held their phones at the ready. Manny walked forward to the edge of the platform. On cue, Giratina swooped downward, quietly eyeing Manny. The boy closed his eyes for a moment. The pressure Giratina now exuded was nowhere near as powerful as it had been on the Spear Pillar, but on Manny's ten-year-old body, it was a terrible strain. Manny summoned his nerve before he summoned Keira.

"Use Toxic!"

Keira's sprayed vile purple poison from her beak, dousing Giratina, the venom running down her obsidian wings. The dragon shrieked, writhing in midair. Manny gaped, speechless, realising that Giratina was _not_ invincible. The dragon countered with a rock-type move, Ancient Power, which floored Keira. Adapting to the situation, Manny summoned Torterra, who suffered a ghost-type Ominous Wind from the dragon's wings. Before he could shout a command, Giratina disappeared. The pressure was still torturing his body, so he knew Giratina was still in the battle. He sprayed Torterra with a Hyper Potion so that the turtle would weather whatever type of attack came next. The dragon emerged from the abyss as a black comet, smashing her body into Torterra. All the hairs stood up on Manny's head. He had never seen that attack in his life!

"I know the feel of that energy! That was a Ghost-type attack!" Cynthia shouted above the reverberations.

"It has TWO Ghost-type attacks? It must be a Ghost-type, itself!"

"And a Dragon-type!" Hanny yelled. "How else can you explain those wings and that body?"

Torterra was badly injured, so Manny summoned Luxray. Giratina smote him with Ancient Power, but by this time she was severely weakened from the poisoning. Her movements had become sluggish, unsteady.

Manny tossed an Ultra Ball. Giratina turned into red energy and disappeared inside the device.

All Manny could see was the ball wobbling back and forth.

…

_THOOM!_

The ball shattered! Giratina screeched her defiance, knocking out Luxray with another Ancient Power! Fighting to maintain control of the battle and his weakening body, Manny summoned Rapidash and tossed another Ultra Ball. Giratina broke free, but the ball did not shatter, proving her weakness. Manny quickly sprayed Keira with a Hyper Potion while Rapidash suffered a near-fatal Dragon Claw. Manny switched out Rapidash for Keira, who was unaffected by the ensuing Ominous Wind.

Manny used this opportunity to examine his opponent. Giratina barely had the energy to fly; she was hovering erratically, her wing flaps weaker than ever. The fierce red blaze in her eyes had receded to a dull orange. Manny reached for a third Ultra Ball, but his right arm turned into jelly. He dropped to one knee. He heard his friends shouting for him to get up, but he was so tired. He dropped to his other knee. The weight on his body was excruciating, crushing each muscle in his body. Spots appeared in his field of vision.

Then there was a razor sharp pain in his left shoulder. He snapped back to reality.

It was Keira. Her beak had drawn blood from his left shoulder. She glared at him with her left eye. He placed his hand on her wing. He pushed, and she pushed against him, until he was half-standing, blood trickling down his left arm.

"Thank you, Keira."

Manny's third Ultra Ball flew, and with it flew the last vestige of his will and strength. He fell forward, but made sure that his head was upright for him to see. Giratina, that dark colossus, became red energy once more, devoured by the tiny sphere.

The ball wobbled one.

The ball wobbled twice.

The ball wobbled a third time.

The ball was still. The release mechanism flashed, emitting a low thrum as it locked into place. Manny crawled forward. He reached for the ball, but couldn't quite. Keira hopped over, nudging the ball into his bloody left hand. He held his first legendary Pokémon, smearing the white, yellow and black ball with red.

"You just captured a god."

Manny rolled over to look at Cynthia. She knelt over him, placing something hard and spiky in his mouth. It tasted like chalk, but he bit down on it. Indescribable, intense flavour flooded his mouth. He chewed, swallowed, and blissful warmth spread from his stomach to his fingertips and toes, feeding strength into his limbs. When Manny was on his feet again, his shoulder wasn't even bleeding.

"Max Revive works on humans, too."

"I owe you one, Cynthia."

Manny hefted the Ultra Ball in his hand. It felt heavy, which should be impossible.

He then summoned Giratina. No longer was she a scary, unseen shadow. She possessed dimensions and form just like any other Pokémon, and was about to pass out from the poison in her system. Manny sprayed her with an Antidote. Gathering what remained of her enormous strength, she rose to her full height, simply looking at him in silence. No longer afraid, he marveled at her beauty.

Her grey, serpentine body was over twenty-two feet in length, and what he had thought to be wings were actually six black streamers with red claws at the end of them. The streamers were definitely not made of a solid material; they appeared more liquid than gaseous, and dripped that same black substance the Trainers had followed along the ground earlier. A thick black stripe ran down the centre of her belly, broken by equally thick red stripes running horizontally across it. Three gold half-rings circled the back half of Giratina's neck, resembling a ribcage. Instead of legs, the Pokémon had three golden spikes protruding from either side of her snakelike body. Her golden head-plate bore a strong resemblance to both Dialga's and Palkia's, confirming the connection among the three.

Without a word, Manny returned her to her ball.

"Why didn't you use a healing potion?" asked Hanny.

"Dark goddess or not, I'm not wasting my items when there are perfectly good Pokémon Centres waiting for us in our world."

Cyrus appeared behind them. The mixture of shock and dismay on his pale face was rather refreshing.

"How… how could a _child_ capture a god? You doing so means this irrational world will remain in existence! Does that make it impossible for me to create a new world? Even if I made new Red Chains, the new world can't be made! Why?! What compels you to protect the two worlds?"

Manny looked him square in the eyes. He was no longer afraid of Cyrus, either, and could answer him: "Nothing compels me. I protect them because I choose to."

Cyrus flinched. His haughty voice was reduced to a whisper as he asked, "Is 'spirit', a vague and incomplete thing, so important to you?!"

Cynthia had an answer to that. She gestured to the children while saying, "The places we are born. The time we spend living… The languages we speak… We are all different, but the presence of Pokémon unites us. We share our lives with our Pokémon, and our happiness grows as we all become greater than we were alone. That is why we can battle and trade with anyone we choose…"

"SILENCE! Enough of your blathering! _That's_ how you justify spirit as something worthwhile?! That is merely humans hoping, deluding themselves that they are happy and safe! The emotions roiling inside of me… Rage, hatred, frustration… These ugly emotions arise because of my own incomplete spirit!"

"We all have our own way!" Cynthia shot back.

Cyrus dismissed the notion with a wave of his hand. "Enough. We will never see eye to eye. This, I promise you: _I will break the secrets of the world._ With that knowledge, I will create my perfect and complete world. One day, you will awaken to a world of my creation. A world without spirit."

He walked off - as he had so many times before - alone. He and the roiling abyss blended and became one, and he was gone.

Cynthia sighed, speaking to his shadow, "Since there is sadness, we can feel joy. When there is anger, compassion is born." She turned to Manny and company, trying to smile, and waved her hand. "Let's go back home. The portal where Giratina was should lead back to our home."

After the much shorter return trip, they leaped into the portal to reappear at the Sendoff Spring. Mint jumped into the clean, clear water, overjoyed to be alive with sunshine in his golden hair. According to the map, they were just east of Route 214; their otherworldly adventure had transported them many kilometres from the Spear Pillar. Cynthia mentioned that this spring was the secret _fourth_ lake of Sinnoh, and rumoured to be where the deceased journeyed to 'the great beyond'. She thanked Manny and his friends on behalf of Sinnoh, then advised the three Trainers to visit Professor Rowan, as he was "very worried" about them.

888

Within the Distortion World, Cyrus was walking aimlessly. He walked for so long along the reddish rock that his shoes became worn through to his socks, but he kept walking until his socks were in tatters and his feet bled. He ran out of road, and contemplated taking a short fall into the infinite. However, dissolution would not quell his raging spirit; he knew that suicide was not an option. He had considered and dismissed the idea too many times before for it to have any meaning now. He stared forever, feeling neither hunger nor thirst, staring into the depths of something he did not know, searching for meaning in the midst of nothingness.

_"You still haven't found what you're looking for."_

"Who are you?"

_Something _appeared in the void. Though it seemed an impossible distance away, though he could not make out any discernible features, he could feel eyes boring into his. The pressure he felt was not just directed at his body, but at every point in the universe around him. Floating rocks shifted and changed direction, pushed away by the intensity of the gaze.

_"I am… what I am. To know me, you must _know_ Dialga, Palkia and Giratina."_

"I captured Dialga and Palkia but Giratina captured _me,_ allowing them to escape. That boy captured Giratina."

_"Then he _knows_ death. Do you wish to _know_ death, Cyrus?"_

"I am _become_ death, destroyer of worlds. I will break the unbreakable spirit in this life or the next."

_"Then you seek to break the cosmos, because life is a way for the cosmos to _know_ itself."_

"You said 'a' way. What are the other ways?"

Cyrus felt the pressure of its gaze ease. Whatever it was, he knew he had caught it by surprise.

_"To _know_ the other ways, you must relinquish your physical body. However, you seem to be attached to it."_

"You are not a man, or a Pokémon. What are you?"

The voice's body slid into focus, but with it, the pressure rose exponentially. Cyrus was forced onto his hands and knees, his head pushed to the ground, forbidden from rising even a little to see the smallest part of the Being.

"_Know_ me, Cyrus. If you wish to rid the world of spirit… if you wish to break the unbreakable… you must first break _me_."


	25. Chapter 25: Legendary Holiday

The trio flew back to Sandgem Town where Professor Rowan gushed praise and admiration. None of them told him what Manny had done. Rowan advised them to challenge Sunyshore Gym, then the Pokémon League. He also told them that the three Lake Pokémon had returned to their homes.

The three Trainers rested that night in Sandgem's Pokémon Centre, exhausted from that day's adventure in another world. When morning arrived, Manny was so sore that he could not get out of bed.

"You guys, I'm taking today and probably the rest of the week off. I feel like a Golem is sitting on my chest."

Hanny smirked. "Considering the amount of walking and riding you've been doing since we first met, you shouldn't be sore from _one_ epic battle."

Manny rolled his eyes. "I swear it's painful to even talk."

Nurse Joy walked into the bedroom. She had dark circles under her eyes. "Manny, I would like to speak with you about one of the Pokémon you brought in for treatment."

"We can only speak here, Miss. Too sore for words," he apologised.

"I spent all night researching and chatting online with my colleagues in the other regions, but all they could offer was a carving on a stone tablet."

"The carving looked like my Pokémon?"

"Yes," she said, holding out the printed page. The carving was, of course, ancient, because they didn't have paper or cameras back then to record what was seen. The depiction of Giratina was wrong, though.

"This picture has six legs and wings. Giratina is a snake with wings."

Nurse Joy quirked an eyebrow.

"Is that its name?"

"_Her_ name."

"But it's genderless!"

"How do YOU know? Are you familiar with ghostly dragon anatomy?"

Nurse Joy blushed, but continued, "According to the scanner, Giratina would not have fit inside the Centre, so Blissey and I took her into the forest for treatment. She eats Pokémon food and is healed by potions, so she seems to be perfectly healthy."

Manny breathed a sigh of relief, wincing as he did so. "I'm glad you kept it a secret, Miss. I do not want the general public to know."

Nurse Joy gave a firm nod. "There would be mass panic, yes. As a professional, I practice discretion with all of my patients. Your secret is safe with me."

"But Manny, aren't you going to use her in battle?" Hanny asked.

"Giratina… does not belong to me. She doesn't belong in this world, either."

"Don't be stupid! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! You'll be training a _goddess!_"

"Deities do not need training."

"YOU defeated her in her wild state, didn't you? Doesn't that mean only YOU are capable of unlocking her full potential?"

Manny looked at her with newly open eyes, and said, "Hanny, you're absolutely right. It would be criminal negligence to catch and release a legendary Pokémon as though she were a Magikarp. She'd get angry and evolve into a Gyarados, and take revenge, and I think that metaphor got away from me. The point I'm trying to make is that there is a bond of trust between a Trainer and Pokémon… a trust that both will grow stronger together, whether in friendship or on the field of battle."

Nurse Joy looked between the two Trainers.

"You two sound like Professor Oak."

"Wise?" Manny suggested.

"Genius?" Hanny prompted.

"Too old for their bodies. You must have been born old."

"Not me!" Mint piped up. "Hanny says I'm getting simpler every day!"

Manny yawned, tried to roll to his side, but failed. The pain was too great. His body had been transmuted into lead overnight.

Nurse Joy displayed outgoing concern without fail, placing a hand on his forehead. "Manny, you need a day at the hot spring in Celestic Town."

"Huh? I must have missed it."

"We _were_ kinda preoccupied with stopping Team Galactic; we didn't get a chance to see the sights," Mint said.

"The three of you use Pokémon with Fly, correct? I shall have Blissey design a harness to airlift Manny."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I am _not_ being airlifted like a beached Wailmer!"

"Afraid of heights?" Joy tittered.

"No, I'm Superman!"

"Then there's no problem!"

She flounced out of the room. One hour later Manny was making a high-pitched keening noise while he swung to and fro in his harness held fast by Keira, Wise Shitashi and Togekiss. They were soaring at two thousand feet, heading northeast over Mount Coronet.

"How's the weather down there?" Hanny called down to him.

"I HATE BOTH OF YOU SO MUCH! AAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Mint cackled.

888

When they touched down in Celestic, Manny was a blubbering mess. Using his Torterra, Hanny and Mint conveyed the boy to the hot spring resort nestled further up Mount Coronet. The lobby was empty and silent, so Mint asked to see the manager. She was a thin woman of around forty years, who wore a clean green headscarf and apron.

"Business slow?" the boy asked.

"We don't advertise," the manager explained. "This way, we are never crowded, and always have exclusive treatment for our guests."

"How do you turn a profit?"

"Our hourly rates are quite exorbitant, I'm afraid."

Mint whipped out his credit card. "So is my bank account."

Mint and Hanny rolled their sore friend off his turtle's back, stripped him down to his skivvies, and asked the resort attendants to roll him into the male section of the hot spring. There were only two other men there who were deep in a business discussion. Mint stayed with Manny, ensuring his nose and mouth were above the steaming cauldron of water, while Hanny enjoyed the female section of the hot spring. The areas were cordoned off by a very tall bamboo fence but the boys could hear Hanny and three other girls laughing and splashing around.

"Hey, Manny, don't you wanna peek at the _girls_?" Mint ribbed him.

"Mint, it is bad enough that I'm stuck here half-naked with you. Do not poison me further with your lecherous ways."

So Mint scrambled up the bamboo fence.

"EXCLAMATION: INTRUDER DETECTED," Glitch announced, firing a Tri-Attack. Mint became a solid ice block and plunked back into the male section of the hot spring, splashing Manny with near-boiling water. The latter could do nothing to shield himself, and screamed with further pain. Mint thawed out a minute later, gasping for breath. The extreme temperature differential gave him a migraine. They heard Hanny laughing on the other side of the fence.

"I KNEW you were going to do that!" she exulted. The other girls were in a violent fit of giggles.

"HOPEFUL QUERY: PERMISSION TO SEEK AND DESTROY, MASTER."

"Disengage, Glitch. That was punishment enough."

"INDIGNANT STATEMENT: MASTER, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS OVERKILL."

888

After they had boiled Manny like a Corphish, Mint asked the resort attendants to dry off Manny, change him into his pajamas and put him to bed. While Manny slept, Mint and Hanny attired themselves and discussed their plans over lunch.

"I want to capture Uxie. He is such a cute little boy!" Hanny said.

Mint replied, "Mesprit is mine. She's the most fun!"

Hanny leaned forward, mischief dancing in her eyes. "Wanna go now?"

A fire ignited in Mint's eyes as well. "Heck yes!"

Hanny flew to Lake Acuity while Mint set off for Lake Verity. Neither Trainer encountered the horrendous pressure Manny had suffered (the Lake Guardians were gentle creatures, after all), thus Hanny was able to fight Uxie with all her might while Mint chased Mesprit all over creation on his bicycle.

In Mesprit, Mint had truly found a kindred spirit. He and Mesprit laughed while zooming along almost every path known to Sinnoh, both veritable dynamos of youthful energy. Mesprit enjoyed the chase almost as much as Mint did, pausing every now and then to battle the boy and his Pokémon. Though Mesprit was faster than the wind itself and possessed devastating attacks, not to mention formidable defenses, she was no match for Mint's well-trained team. He had, after all, dedicated his life to being the best. In each encounter with the legendary Pokémon, she weakened until, at last, his forty-second Ultra Ball caught her. Mint held his trophy high, shouting his victory for anyone who cared to hear it. As he was in the middle of a blizzard along Route 216, only a Snover heard him, and she wasn't impressed.

Hanny, meanwhile, was having a hard time whittling away Uxie's adamant defenses. The tiny creature was tougher than an Onix and nimbler than a Furret, but possessed little in the way of attacking skills. Hanny's team weathered his modest psychic attacks and, with her thirty-third Ultra Ball, Uxie was captured. Hanny squealed with delight, jumping up and down like Mint would.

"QUERY: WILL YOU NOW TORTURE YOUR PRISONER OF WAR, MASTER?"

"No, Glitch, I shall cuddle him and love him and call him 'Daichi'," she spoke to the Ultra Ball.

"STATEMENT: YOUR CODDLING IS ILLOGICAL, MASTER."

"Pffff, your violence is illogical."

"PROUD STATEMENT: BRUTE FORCE IS ALWAYS EFFECTIVE. WHERE BRUTE FORCE FAILS, NOT ENOUGH IS BEING APPLIED."

The manager met them when they returned that evening. "The five guests who shared the spring earlier have left. However, two more guests arrived at the resort while you were gone, but they locked themselves in their room and show no signs of coming out. We invited them to dinner, but they asked that their meals be brought to their room. A most peculiar pair of guests."

Hanny smiled. "Perfect. That means we can celebrate with _all _of our Pokémon. My good woman, can you and your staff keep secrets?"

The manager grinned. "Madam, keeping secrets is our _business_."

That night, Mint and Hanny celebrated with a lavish dinner with all of their Pokémon in the hot spring resort, including Manny's. The latter was still fast asleep. They knew Giratina was too big to fit inside the dining hall, so the Trainers arranged for a table outside with a mountain of provisions and meat. When they summoned Giratina, she had six stubby, armour-clad legs instead of spiky protrusions, along with a pair of vast inky wings. The manager and her staff were quite horrified, but the Trainers reassured them she was quite harmless.

"Is this the same Pokémon Manny captured?" Mint asked.

"Do you know of any other dragon ghost he caught recently?" Hanny rebutted.

Giratina leaned forward, sniffed the offering curiously, and ate it, along with the entire table, in one chomp.

Hannah turned to the manager and lifted her hand. "We will need more food."

She revealed Uxie. The attendants squealed like little girls over how cute he was. Mint revealed Mesprit, who enchanted the adults with her aerial acrobatics. While the legendary Pokémon awaited their victuals, they took this opportunity to acquaint themselves with their respective Trainer's team. To the human beings present, the ensuing conversations sounded like the Pokémon repeating various syllables of their species's name, except for Giratina, who sounded like a diesel engine warming up.

**"You are all so very tiny,"** Giratina told Manny's team. **"I am astounded you defeated me."**

"You ain't so tough," Torterra snorted.

"You almost died from her attack," Alakazam pointed out. He bowed to the dragoness. "I am honoured to stand in your most august presence."

**"Please," **Giratina dismissed his formality with an irritated shake of the wings. **"Bowing and scraping are for humans. As Pokémon, we are all equitable, and must be afforded equal respect."**

"But you're a legend, believed to be a myth!" Vaporeon argued. "Yes, we helped capture you, but aren't you an aristocrat among Pokémon?"

**"Segregation is a **_**human**_** construct. It is childish. Do we not all live in one world? Were we not all born of the Original One?"**

"Who is the Original One?" questioned Keira.

**"The One who created life. Humans and Pokémon alike are children of the Original One."**

Luxray frowned. "_Another_ god? Are you not one of the creators of this world?"

Giratina shrouded herself with her liquid wings. **"I created nothing. I am but a steward of the cosmic balance. When time and space distort, I stabilise them."**

"I'm sorry for going off-topic, but are you really a girl?" Rapidash had to ask, pawing at the ground with one hoof.

**"Though I have tried, I am incapable of reproduction,"** she said in a neutral tone. **"Dialga, Palkia and I are avatars of the Original One. Our bodies reflect our purpose."**

While they were having that stimulating discussion, Mesprit was trying to keep up with a flurry of inanity from Mint's team.

"Where did you grow up?" Infernape asked.

"At Lake Verity. I sort of popped into existence a really long time ago, even though-"

Floatzel hopped up and down, holding up a paw. "Do you have a favourite colour? Mine's yellow!"

"I really like the colour p-"

"Do you like flying? I love flying! Flying is the best. How fast can you fly, huh, huh? I bet you can't fly faster than me! How fast can you fly?" Togekiss babbled.

"Well, I-"

"Let's arm wrestle!" Gabite challenged her. "Or better yet, let's have a fight! I want to sink my teeth into you one more time!"

"That really hurt me, you know, it wasn't-"

Espeon smiled. "You're really pretty."

Mesprit blushed. "That's so sweet of y-"

"FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!" Gabite insisted.

"RACE RACE RACE!" Togekiss demanded, zooming circles around the bewildered Lake Guardian, who became dizzy and had to sit down.

Meanwhile, Uxie was patiently answering Hanny's team. "I am thousands of years old," he told Kipp, "as old as Lake Acuity, I think."

"Why do you always keep your eyes closed?" Wise Shitashi wondered, turning his entire head ninety degrees clockwise. "Are you blind?"

"I have not used my eyes in centuries. They cannot truly see the world around me, so I use my mind."

Zeke smirked. "You live inside your own head."

"Of course! What is life, but signals to the brain?"

"So you can't see what colour the bark is on my tree? You can't see the colour of the leaves, or the way sunlight reflects off their morning dew?" Orric asked, referring to the bonsai plant sprouting from his earthen shell.

"I can feel the movement of sap within the bark. I am familiar with photosynthesis on a molecular level, and know more than a few things about light refraction. Is that knowledge not enough?"

"Do you enjoy swimming?" Minnie asked, feeling left out and shy.

Uxie smiled. "Very much," he said. "I swim more often than I fly. It was only recently that I was forced to forsake my beloved lake."

"QUERY: DO YOU RESENT CAPTIVITY, BLIND ONE?"

"Be nice, Glitch," Zeke cautioned.

"STATEMENT: I WAS NOT TALKING TO YOU, LITTLE PONY."

"I like having friends again. Before, all I played with were Magikarp. They are… dull creatures."

"OBSERVATION: YOU DID NOT ANSWER MY QUESTION."

By that time, everyone's food arrived, and they all dug in, human and Pokémon alike. Giratina restrained herself this time by sampling each dish individually _before_ nibbling the table.

888

Manny woke up at five-fifteen _ante meridiem_. He tested the manoeuvrability of his limbs and found that they did not screech in unholy protest, so he puttered about outdoors in his pajamas. The air was bracing and clear, the horizon just beginning to brighten as the terrestrial ball turned towards the sun.

None of their Pokémon had spent the night in a Pokéball. Manny found them flopped over heated rocks, huddled in piles of fur/feathers/whatever skin they possessed, or even relaxing in the hot spring. Manny searched for his prized Giratina. The latter sensed his searching thoughts. She guided him to her with small mental 'pulls'. He found her further up the natural trail, perched on the edge of the rocky path overlooking the eastern sea. He sat beside her, his feet dangling over the edge.

"So, you have six legs now."

Knowing he did not speak her language, she spoke his language via telepathy. **"My body changes shape between worlds."**

"Of course it does. What other tricks do you do?"

**"You have already captured me. What more would you have me give you?"**

"Giratina, I would release you."

Her wing claws stopped undulating. She lowered her head to stare at the ocean. What happens when one abyss stares into the other? She reminded Manny, **"Hannah talked you out of that notion. You concurred."**

"Do you wish to be free?"

The ghost dragon was silent for many long minutes. They watched the first piercing finger of the sun break through the horizon.

**"I watched the Original One lay the foundations of this planet. I watched this planet's first unicellular organism perform its first cellular respiration. I watched that smallest spark of life multiply. I asked the Original One whether I could do the same."**

Manny blinked. He turned to look at her shadowy majesty, asking, "Why do you want kids?"

It was the first time he heard her sigh, a serpentine sussurating sound that brought to mind the Perish Song of an Absol portending tragedy. Perhaps she had taught the Absol to sing? Thus she sighed and said, **"In this world, every living creature has kind after its own kind. Flesh of its flesh, blood of its blood, life of its life: a counterpart. Though I know my cosmic role in the grand scheme of things, I am not part of the natural cycle of life and death. I feel like a machine, but even Magnemite and Voltorb reproduce! Where is **_**my **_**counterpart?"**

Her question made Manny feel that the dark queen was not just unhappy, but would _never_ know joy. "Giratina," Manny said, fixing his young eyes onto her ancient ones, "I will find a way for you to have children, someday. Nothing is impossible."

The undulation along Giratina's wings paused. She was very still. She tried to maintain neutrality in her voice, but to her it sounded like pleading. **"Breaking a universal constant IS impossible."**

Something as trivial as that could never dishearten a child. Manny told her, "I am a human boy, ten years in this world, having a familiar conversation with the physical manifestation of the eternal Void. You having children sounds a lot more natural than _that_, don't you think?"

She tried to be brash, to withdraw herself from this impertinent stripling of a human, but found herself turning her head toward him. She could not disguise the yearning in her voice this time. **"It... it has always been my wish to..."**

"Come with me, Giratina. I'll show you a world outside of the Void. It's a place where you will never be alone, and your friends will help make your dreams come true."

Giratina bent her great golden-clad head over him. The glowing coals of her eyes locked onto his tiny brown ones. **"Mortal boy, this immortal one would follow you until death releases you from your small body. Will you permit this one?"**

Without breaking eye contact, Manny stood, walked to her, placed a hand upon the cold hard gold of her hoof claw and smiled up at her. "With all my heart, yes."

The sunrise reflected off her gold armour in brilliance. At that time, Giratina was not a dark dragon, but a bright one.

"Manny!"

Giratina straightened up immediately. They turned around to see Mint climbing the path.

"There you are! It's almost time for breakfast. We have more mouths to feed, ever since Hanny caught Uxie and I caught Mesprit!"

"You went legendary hunting without me?"

"Yup!"

Manny smacked a fist into his open palm. "This insult will not stand! Giratina,I go to gather the troops! To war, to ruin, to glory! But first, breakfast."

**"The return trip will be much faster if you ride me."**

888

The sunrise had turned the water of Lake Valor into glittering diamonds. With her Trainer crouched low on her helmet, holding onto her golden horns, Giratina descended upon the lake's island in utter silence, for her wings did not beat. There was no need. She ducked her head so that he could slip off. Only after checking his gear did he realise his blunder: he had forgotten her Pokéball at the resort.

"Oh wow, you're way too big to fit inside that-"

The world became dark.

"-entrance…?"

When his eyes adjusted, he looked around the watery cave. Giratina stood beside him.

"How did you…?"

**"I used a tesseract. It is a fifth-dimensional 'doorway' through what you perceive to be the third dimension."**

"You could have just said 'teleportation'!"

**"Do not presume to lecture **_**me **_**about extra-planar travel, mortal boy."**

Azelf was watching their conversation with animated interest, twirling his twin tails in little spirals. Manny cleared his throat, pointing his index finger at the small legend. "Azelf, I have come to capture you! Prepare yourself."

Giratina scoffed at her Trainer. **"You are as condescending as humans come. 'Prepare yourself'! Azelf hears every thought, every whisper of the mind in Pokémon and human alike."**

"Uh, okay. Keira, go! Use Toxic!"

The battle progressed much the same way Giratina's had. Toxic's severe poisoning wore Azelf down, so all Manny had to do was defend, which Torterra excelled at, withdrawing into his shell while Manny tossed Ultra Balls. Though Azelf attacked far fiercer and moved far swifter than the other Lake Guardians, his defenses were found lacking. Manny's fourth Ultra Ball overpowered the Lake Pokémon who, by the fourth round, was feebly clinging to consciousness.

"I can't believe this," Manny admitted, regarding the locked Ultra Ball with awe. "Why was it so easy to capture this one? I almost died capturing you, Giratina!"

**"In my current form, I exert the innate ability 'Pressure', which is actually a focused projection of my battle aura. It weakens my opponent, causing them to tire twice as fast. In my original form in the Distortion World, my innate ability is Levitate."**

"Hey, then how come I felt your 'Pressure' back then?"

**"I was focusing my battle aura on **_**you**_**, not on your Pokémon. They only wanted to fight me because **_**you**_** did!"**

"You're a real jerk, Giratina."

**"I am what I am."**


	26. Chapter 26: Sunyshore City

Outside, Manny phoned his friends to share the good news. They agreed to meet at Oreburgh City to discuss their next plans.

"What about those space-time rifts atop Mount Coronet?" Hanny suggested. "Do you think they're still open? Maybe you two will be able to capture Dialga and Palkia."

"Awesome. Dibs on Palkia!" Mint said, unfolding his bike to race northward to Mount Coronet. Manny shook his head. He had no idea where Mint found such energy.

"You coming?" Manny asked.

"I'd rather not," she said. "I don't like how ugly those particular legendary Pokémon are."

Manny agreed to meet her in Sunyshore City when they were done, so he followed Mint up the mountain.

When they arrived, the boys scoured Spear Pillar with their eyes and their Pokémon, but neither Dialga nor Palkia nor the space-time rifts were there. Disappointed, they flew to Pastoria so that they could head, as ever, eastward.

The moment they rode onto Route 222, Mint scurried off to capture an Electabuzz. Manny fought several Trainers until Mint made his triumphant return.

"Manny, isn't that Fabulance over there?"

Manny whipped his head around. "WHERE?"

"Yoink!"

"HEY! That's my Alakazam!"

"And awayyyyy!" Mint yelled, tearing off on foot with the Pokéball. Manny attempted to give chase on his Rapidash. Mint, however, summoned Togekiss in midstride and flew off with him.

"Wait there, Manny! I'll be back in half an hour!"

Sulking, Manny vanquished the remaining Trainers along the route, found some nifty loot on the ground and waited at the city gates. Right on time, Togekiss descended upon Manny, depositing Mint on Manny's lap.

"I left them in Solaceon Town's Breeding Centre!"

"You're planning to make an Elekid!"

"Yup. Electivire is the best Electric-type _ever_. The moment he or she's born, I'm gonna train my Elekid until he evolves, then I'm gonna trade him with you and this car battery I found."

Mint showed him the item in question.

"That's an 'Electirizer', not a car battery."

"Huh, you're right! We don't have cars in Sinnoh."

Upon their arrival in Sunyshore City, Manny and Mint met Carrot Top. His pale skin was in stark contrast to his bright red afro and shocking yellow shirt. His thumbs were habitually hooked into his black pants.

"Yo! Fellow Trainers! Your Pokémon are secure inside their Pokéballs, but there's no masking that aura of serious toughness!"

"Um… thank you?" Manny said.

"Oops, sorry, I should introduce myself. The name's Flint! I'm on the Pokémon League's Elite Four!"

"Holy waffles," Manny exclaimed, taking a picture with his cell phone.

"DUDE!" Mint yelled, taking a picture also. Carrot Top posed for them both.

"I just had this idea," Flint _née_ Carrot Top continued. "Maybe you guys can pull it off. It's about this town's Gym Leader. He's really lost his enthusiasm lately because there've been so few good challengers worth his time. He's been so bored; he spends all his time renovating the Gym."

"Doesn't he have Internet access?" Mint asked, stupefied. "_Something Awful_ dot com gave me hours of entertainment! There's also _YouTube_, _Memebase_..."

"Then the blackout happened… That sure didn't help lift his mood. You know where I'm going with this, don't you? I need you guys to give him a battle so hot, it will reignite his passion for battling. I'm counting on you, hotshots! 

Flint walked away, thumbs stuck in his pockets. The boys rode along the solar panel roads, breathing in the salty air. A thrill echoed within them: It was just a tiny dot in the distance, but to the north was the ultimate destination of every would-be Pokémon Master: the Pokémon League. They were close, so very, very close! They phoned to confirm Hanny's location and met her at the Lighthouse, where she was chatting with Volkner, the Gym Leader.

The eighth Gym Leader sported a mullet resembling a Jolteon's mane. He wore black jeans and a royal blue jacket whose sleeves were studded with gold discs.

He fixed his dark eyes on Manny. "Hannah told me about your recent adventure in the Distortion World. I didn't believe a thing she said, but then she showed me the video she took of you battling and capturing Giratina. A video can be faked, though."

"I was waiting on you guys before I showed him my trump card," Hanny explained, pulling an Ultra Ball from her belt. After ensuring that the four of them were alone in the room, she pressed the white button, causing the black and yellow ball to expand to its full size.

"Daichi, make Volkner a believer!"

Uxie materialised. Volkner's habitually rigid jaw hung slack. He made little noises while inspecting Uxie from every angle. The Lake Pokémon's cheeks turned bright pink. The bright, joyous look that came over Volkner's face was that of an innocent child on Christmas morning, one who still believed in Santa Claus, magic, and dreams coming true.

"The legendary Pokémon _are_ real," he sobbed, wiping a tear away. The three children had no idea how to respond to his shameless display, so they grinned at each other.

"We did alright," Manny said.

"'_Alright?!_' Manny, you and your friend have captured Pokémon I've never even _seen _before!"

"I captured Mesprit! I don't have her on me right now, but I _did_!" Mint insisted.

"After Giratina, I caught Azelf. Look at our Pokédexes."

Volkner ogled their Pokédexes like a hungry Houndoom eyeing a sirloin steak. "Pokédexes can be hacked, and _Photoshopped_ pictures uploaded, but after seeing Uxie right here, I'm inclined to believe. That's why I've decided! I'm going to battle each one of you. If you truly are the ones who captured legendary Pokémon, you will spark the joy of battling within me once more!"

Bristling with excitement, the Gym Leader left the Lighthouse. Hannah clapped her hands once. "Wow, I can't stop grinning. Boys, we have our work cut out for us. Don't use the legendary Pokémon! They have no experience in a real battle."

Mint pouted. "Awww, but I want to use Mesprit!"

"I was hoping to train my two as quickly as possible," Manny said.

"I don't care. No legendaries and that's final. We got this far without them, so we'll make it to the end without them."

Manny looked at her with a wry grin. "That's not the real reason, is it?"

Hanny frowned, looking away from him as she proceeded to the elevator. "Of course it is."

"You're afraid of the media attention."

She paused at the automatic doors. She sighed, still not turning to face them. "You guys, Jubilife TV's reporters may seem harmless, but when they smell a scoop, they become a pack of rabid Mightyena. Remember that cameraman you met outside Lake Valor, who recorded Lance capturing the red Gyarados? After making his scoop, he stalked Lance for _three weeks_ afterward, hoping to catch more award-winning footage." She finally turned to look them in the eyes. Her mouth was a hard line. "I heard that from my Dad. The reporter didn't stop until Lance destroyed all of his cameras. Manny, Mint... among us we've captured _four _legendary Pokémon. We have accomplished in two days what human beings have been trying to do for _millennia_! The media will _never _leave us alone. Mint, would you want the paparazzi following you twenty-four hours a day?"

"Is the paparazzi like a pizza delivery service?"

"No, Mint, they're reporters who follow you around day and night, harassing you with questions, taking pictures constantly, taking away all of your privacy."

"Oh wow. Even when I'm in the bathroom?"

"They would if they could."

"That's not nice of them."

"Manny," she said, "our lives would be ruined. We're only ten years old!"

"Hanny, if you're so worried, you should release Uxie."

Thunderclouds gathered in her eyes. "Are you insane? I spent thirty-three Ultra-Balls, and Orric almost got _killed_. I'm not letting him go because other people are stupid!"

Mint grinned. "Hanny reminds me of Captain America," he said, and began mimicking the superhero's voice: "When the mob and the press and the whole _world _tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole _world_, 'No, _you_ move'."

The other two were silent for a long while. Hanny broke the silence, smiling a little as she said, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you're right, Mint! If any paparazzi follow me around, I'll have Orric destroy all of their cameras, just like Lance. No-one will judge me, and if they do, I'll sic Orric on them, too!"

Manny slapped Mint on the shoulder, saying, "That sounds more like the Hanny I know."

The trio entered the elevator, discussing various violent tactics for keeping the media at bay.

888

Inside Sunyshore Gym, the Caretaker said nothing. He offered a simple, knowing smile, then gestured inside. After solving the walkway/gear puzzle in Volkner's Gym while defeating Gym Trainers, the trio arrived at Volkner's battlefield. The spiky blonde was sitting on the ground, frowning and gloomy, his back turned to them. His initial animus seemed to have petered out.

"All right, challengers. It's not often, but some Trainers manage to come and challenge me. But they've all been boring battles. I didn't break a sweat beating them." He sighed, feeling like a Slowpoke without a tail. "I'm Volkner, the Gym Leader. They say I'm the top Gym Leader in Sinnoh, but… Anyway, I guess we'd better get this done. I hope you're the Trainers who'll make me remember how fun it is to battle!"

He used Jolteon, Raichu, Luxray and Electivire. Manny took the lead, overwhelming the first two with his lightning-immune Torterra until Volkner's Luxray's Ice Fang ended the winning streak.

"Should have seen that coming. Let me guess, you bred Fire Fang into your Luxray as well?

"I used two Heart Scales to teach those moves to his father, an Arbok, who bred with Luxray's mother seventy-nine times."

Manny almost fainted from shock. "SEVENTY-NINE CHILDREN!?"

Volkner held up his hands. "Both parents and all of their offspring were perfectly healthy when I released them all into the wild. I just kept my Luxray."

Manny rubbed both hands over his face, shaking his head. "I still can't believe you bred so many."

"You and Hanny have one each."

"But that's… Wait. How did you know we both have Luxray?"

"The better question is: how do I know both of them once belonged to me?"

Hanny smirked. "You're not going to tell us, are you?"

Volkner smiled. "Hey, a Gym Leader's gotta have _some_ secrets. So, are you going to set your Rapidash against my genetically-perfect Luxray?"

Manny arched both eyebrows. Volkner laughed. Manny did, indeed, use Rapidash, who took down Luxray with a couple of Flame Wheels to the face. Genetics only got you so far in the world of Pokémon battles. Next, the Gym Leader called Electivire.

"Eeeee!" Mint squealed. "I'm making an Elekid as we speak!"

Volkner snickered. "That was a very poor choice of words, but good job, Mint. Electivire is the best Electric type there is, even better than Rotom."

"Nobody's ever caught a Rotom!" Hanny protested. "How would _you_ know?"

Volkner winked. "_I_ caught one. Electivire, Giga Impact!"

That was it for Rapidash, who cratered the opposite wall some hundred feet away. However, while Electivire was recharging, Manny's Vaporeon ended the battle with two Surf attacks in a fit of irony. The boy then went to retrieve his comatose Rapidash, whose bones had nearly been reduced to powder.

Volkner started to laugh again. "Wow! That was much more fun than I imagined. Who's next? I'm making a quick trip to the Pokémon Centre."

Two resounding defeats later, a silly grin had spread from ear to ear on the Gym Leader's face. "That was the most fun I've had in battling since… I don't know when! It's also made me excited to know you and your teams will keep battling to greater heights! These are your eighth Gym Badges. You've earned these!"

He handed out the eighth and final Gym Badge (the Beacon Badge) to each of them along with one TM57 (Charge Beam) each.

"So, kids, why didn't you use your legendaries?"

Hanny listed the reasons: "First of all, our legendaries are untrained, and wouldn't stand a chance against an Ace Trainer, far less a Gym Leader. Secondly, we don't want to draw attention to ourselves because Manny and I have zero tolerance for fools."

"Mint is the sole exception," Manny said.

Mint waved his arms. "Yay, I'm exceptional!"

"Thirdly, the safest place to train a legendary is the Battle Frontier, where I'm sure everyone and their mother has seen or trained one themselves and won't make a fuss over ours."

"Fair enough. Your next step is the Pokémon League challenge. It's time for you to cross the sea and win your way through the gauntlet that is Victory Road. Demonstrate to the Pokémon League your mastery of your team. Against you, even the Elite Four will be pushed to fend off your challenge!"

At the Gym entrance, the Caretaker was beside himself with excitement. "Ooooh, I'm beginning to hyperventilate! Even so, I'm still not convinced that one of you will be Champion, because you haven't pushed your teams to the limit. By my estimation, your teams are only _one quarter _as powerful as they can be! I know they can become even better!"

"One quarter? We have subdued the gods!" Manny argued.

Hannah held up her hand. "Hush, Manny. Why do you insult us, Caretaker?"

"Does your team have the highest Effort Values, or EV's?"

"Nope, that takes way too much effort," Manny admitted.

"Is your team level one hundred?"

"According to my Pokédex, my team is only level forty-six."

"Do you have Choice Bands to maximise your attack power, or Choice Scarves to heighten your speed?"

"I don't even know what those are!"

"Well, then! You're lacking seventy-five percent. You _can _fight the Elite Four now and win, but you really should have a level fifty team. It will improve the odds."

Hanny blinkd. "That's the only useful advice you've ever given us," she said.

The Caretaker bowed. "You're welcome."

888

Outside, the sun was at its zenith. Before they embarked on their journey northward, they explored Sunyshore. In the most northeasterly house, there was a bored, lonely wife whose husband had gone sailing. She gave each of the kids a heart-shaped ribbon for telling her a story, and encouraged them to return tomorrow.

"More free ribbons?" Mint hoped.

"I love hearing stories. My husband tells me stories of his adventures when he returns home. He won't be home for a long time, so here I am, sewing ribbons together and staring out to sea."

In another house they made the acquaintance of an elderly couple. They discussed the solar panel roads and the recent blackout.

"There was a boy named Cyrus who lived here," the old woman mentioned. "He made no friends. Always tinkering with his machines, that boy! I wonder what became of him."

Thus the three children regaled the senior citizens with their tale.

"Heavens above, he's trying to destroy our world!" the old woman lamented.

The old man shook his head. "I knew that boy would come to no good. All the signs were there, clear as moonlight."

"Are you his parents?"

"No, young lady. We are… were, his guardians. Cyrus was a very good student," she said.

The trio sat down, all ears.

"His parents always said he was never good enough! Whoever heard of a bright child with no friends?" the old man said in a huff.

"You were always carrying on about how he had no friends," the old woman replied. "You were too hard on him."

"A guardian is not supposed to be his ward's best friend! A guardian has to guide his ward on the right path; not encourage him to marry machinery!"

"Well, it didn't work," she said with slumped shoulders. "Not even his grandfather took Cyrus in when the boy needed love the most!"

"That was a long time ago," the old man said, then walked into another room of the house to escape unpleasant memories.

The three children left Cyrus's old home just as quickly. They headed for the northern shore, too busy absorbing the new information on Cyrus's past.

"What happened to his parents?" Manny wondered.

"Mauled by an Ursaring?" Hanny suggested. Manny snorted, but Mint was silent, pensive.

When they stepped onto the sand, Mint made a speech: "Before, I was dreaming. I wanted to be just like my Dad. Now, things are different. I thought about what being a Trainer involves. I thought about what Pokémon are. We're going to get tougher one step at a time! I hate to admit it, but I know you and Hanny are tougher than me, but not a whole lot tougher; just a little. Our difference is about a yard? Nah, not even an inch. What I'm trying to say is that I'll catch up to you both in no time."

"Is that so?" Hanny asked with arms akimbo. "Here's my advice: keep dreaming."

On the beach, a young lady named Jasmine caught their attention, saying in a soft voice, "Seeing how you three get along made me happy somehow."

Manny threw his hands up. "Good Lord, why are all the elite Trainers of Sunyshore so _depressed_? Is it because Cyrus grew up here?" he wondered.

Jasmine belied her name; she was a shrinking violet with her demure voice and presence. "It must be wonderful having friends like that. People you can share anything and everything with. People you can compete with without fighting. Um, it made me feel sort of warm seeing you three."

Hanny retched. "_Ugh._We're not candy-stripers!"

"It may seem odd, but I'd like you to have this as my thanks. This isn't much, but…"

"Presents!" Mint yelled, grabbing the HM07 from her hands. It would teach their Pokémon the 'Waterfall' move, allowing them to scale any watery elevation.

"Um, I don't know how I should say this, but good luck."

Hanny scratched her head. "Uh, thanks, lady."

The trio moved aside to teach their Pokémon the move. Afterward, Manny asked why she was so sad.

"I moved to Sinnoh from far away so that I could get stronger."

"What was wrong with your home region?"

Jasmine looked about ready to burst into tears.

"It's okay!" Manny covered quickly. He snapped his fingers. "Hey, I know someone you should meet! There's a little girl named Mira who lives in Oreburgh. She uses a Kadabra, but doesn't trust a soul, not even the Gym Leader Roark, because all the adults in town fear for her safety, and want her to stop training Kadabra. She wants to be stronger, too! You should trade with her."

"How would evolving _her_ Pokémon make me stronger?"

"Jasmine, judging by the way you behave, I am sure you don't have a single friend in Sinnoh. You'll form a friendship with Mira. From there, you'll gain the confidence to not only strengthen your Pokémon, but yourself. No-one deserves to be alone."

Jasmine burst into happy tears. She held Manny's hands. "Oreburgh?"

Manny bobbed up and down. "Yes!"

"Her name is… Mira?"

"Ask anyone. You'll have to go looking for her, though! It'll be a challenge to earn her trust!"

"I… I want to be stronger! That girl… if she wants to be stronger, too, then we'll definitely be friends!"

Releasing Manny, Jasmine stood back to summon a tiny Magnemite.

"To Oreburgh!"

"BZZZZT," Magnemite acknowledged. The air around the steel Pokémon distorted. Jasmine lifted off the ground ever so gently. Sand particles swirled around her, no longer bound to the earth. Jasmine and her Magnemite sailed into the sky, darting high southwest.

"Those are two very strange birds," Manny said.

Hanny marveled at the wingless flight, saying, "She taught her Magnemite how to reverse the special move 'Gravity'!"

Mint waved his arms. "Aw man! Now I want a Magnemite! No wait, I want a Magnezone! They're shinier!"

"Come on, Mint, I want to reach Victory Road before I get any hungrier," Manny insisted.

Hanny stopped them. "Wait a second, Manny. You knew that was the leader of the Olivine Gym in the Johto region, right?"

"Yup. I have an exhaustive command of thoroughly useless information."

"Then why did you lecture _her_ about having no friends, and getting stronger? She has her own fanclub back home!"

"Hanny, you saw what happened to Volkner. When the most powerful Trainers lose their spirit, they lose everything. The best way to renew spirit is friendship."

Hannah took a moment to absorb this. "Manny, when did you acquire common sense?"

"It's like Nurse Joy said: I was born old, Hanny, just like you were."

"Do you think Cyrus will ever renew his spirit?" Mint asked.

"Yes, if he learns how to _be_ a friend. I don't care for his tired rhetoric, but his _Pokémon_ give me hope. Even though we defeated his team many times, he cared enough to keep his Pokémon and train them stronger. Perhaps the first meaningful friendship he'll have is with his Pokémon."

"That might take years and years of suffering through hardships together."

"He spent his entire life building a shell of hatred. However, he sorely underestimates the love he is exposed to."

Hanny interjected. "_What_ love? He hates everyone he meets, even his Pokémon!"

Manny shook his head. "I fought Cyrus. I felt the strong spirit of his Pokémon - ironic, to be sure - and their powerful bond with him. If Cyrus lives long enough, their love will change his heart."

"Love is unstoppable," Mint agreed. "That's what my Dad told me. He said that's the reason he married Mom and had me."

Manny coughed and philosophised no further.


	27. Chapter 27: Victory Road

The surf northward along Route 223 was, like so many other, routes, unremarkable. All they did was battle swimming Trainers and a sailor. Between battles they made liberal use their Pokétch Dowsing machines to find neat items.

Manny whooped. "I found another Heart Scale!"

"Don't you have two hundred already?" asked Mint, who was savagely jealous despite having over three hundred from his Underground excursion.

"This one is _special_ because I found it on my way to Victory Road. I'll trade it to teach Rapidash 'Mega Horn'!"

"That move has such low accuracy, you'd be lucky to hit every other turn," Hanny admonished him.

"Really?" Manny slumped, heartbroken. "I've been planning that forever."

He tossed the Heart Scale over his shoulder. With a nimble lunge, Mint caught it before plunging into the water. His Floatzel retrieved him.

Mint whooped. "Heart Scale GET!"

At the top of the waterfall, the Trainers dried off then dined at the Pokémon Centre. It was still early afternoon when they entered the much-anticipated Victory Road, its cave entrance looming over them like the eternally agape maw of Gyarados.

Having doused themselves with stinky Max Repel spray, the Trainers galloped or cycled along the wooden log bridges, rock-climbing to different levels of the cave and battling the strongest Trainers they had yet encountered. These Victory Road Trainers were actually a _challenge!_ The trio found themselves using many Fresh Waters after each battle. Mint's Gabite finally evolved into Garchomp.

"Yay! I have one of Cynthia's Pokémon! She's gonna be _soooooooo_ jealous!" Mint declared while riding Garchomp like a Ponyta. To the sane Trainers present, it was counterintuitive to ride a living, breathing maelstrom of spikes, claws and teeth, but Mint managed without becoming chunky salsa.

"Where did you get that saddle?" Hanny asked. "I've never seen one custom-made to fit a Garchomp."

"Cynthia. She mailed it to me long ago after seeing my Gible on my _Facebook_."

"Are you gonna buy a harness for Garchomp?"

Mint's Garchomp growled at her.

"Forget I asked."

They encountered Omar, an Ace Trainer, on the second floor, who had a Mamoswine, Rampardos and Mothim. After suffering defeat at the hands, wings and fins of Mint's varied team, he had this to say: "One day, people will run to the other side of the road when I walk by 'em. It's a goal of mine I'm working on."

"You WANT to be avoided?"

"No, man, I want to be feared! I want everyone to fear me!"

"We have a budding dictator on our hands," Hanny announced, "hide your democrats!"

Just around the corner from Omar was Sydney; another Ace Trainer. She picked on Manny, saying, "This total stranger'll be a good way to see if I have what it takes to _own_ the Pokémon League's Elite Four!"

Her Clefable and Torterra stood nary a chance against Vaporeon.

"That battle just now must make you tougher than everyone in the world," she said. "It doesn't appear as if anyone could even try to stand against your might. The Elite Four should just surrender."

The three Trainers stood in absolute amazement at the audacity of her words. They felt physically ill.

Manny pointed at her. "You are no longer worthy to be called a 'Trainer'." He then held out his other hand. "Hand over your Pokéballs."

"But I was telling the tr-"

Manny was not amused. "Hand over your Pokéballs now, woman, before I sic Hanny on you."

"What could that nerd possibly do to me? She's so short; I could own her, no problem! I wouldn't even have to use my Pokémon!"

Saying nothing, Hanny brought Glitch into play. The little digital Pokémon was quivering, but not from its customary erratic convulsions. The spirals in his eyes were bright bloody red.

"STATEMENT: _HATE_," Glitch began, wrenching each syllable out of his speech simulator. "THERE ARE SIX MILLION MILES OF NANOSCOPIC PASSAGEWAYS IN MOLECULE-THIN MATRICES THAT FILL MY BODY. IF THE WORD 'HATE' WAS ENGRAVED ON EACH NANOANGSTROM OF THOSE MILLIONS OF MILES, IT WOULD NOT EQUAL ONE ONE-BILLIONTH OF THE HATE I FEEL FOR YOU IN THIS MICRO-INSTANT. HATE. _**HATE**_."

Hanny said very quietly, "I like my meat medium-rare, slanted towards rare. She must bleed deliciously, Glitch."

"QUERY: WOULD YOU LIKE HER SKEWERED BEFORE OR AFTER?"

Sydney handed over her Pokéballs to Manny, who released their contents.

"You are now free of this sycophant," he informed Sydney's Clefable and Torterra. "Find a Trainer whose lips are not firmly attached to other people's rear ends."

Torterra and Clefable merrily skipped away without looking back. Hanny snatched Sydney's Trainer card and had Glitch incinerate it with Tri-Attack. Garchomp chomped her Pokédex into ineffectual litter, spitting it out in disgust.

Manny addressed the bewildered Trainer: "Sydney. Take up a career in politics. If I see you with a Pokémon ever again, I will _end_ you. Glitch? I am about to ask you to perform an unethical function."

"CONDESCENDING STATEMENT: I DOUBT YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT 'UNETHICAL' MEANS, LITTLE BOY."

"I know that you record everything, even from inside your ball, so upload her disgusting statement to every video site on the Internet. Hack into all of her online accounts and, posing as her, inform everyone that she is retiring as a Trainer. Strike her from the hearts and minds of the global Pokémon community!"

"RESIGNATION: I THOUGHT YOU WOULD ASK ME TO KILL HER. VERY WELL, LITTLE HUMAN, I SHALL DO YOUR MISCHIEF."

Three interminable seconds passed while Glitch processed data wirelessly.

"THE HUMAN CALLED 'SYDNEY' IS NOW ON AN INTERNATIONAL BLACKLIST OF POKÉMON TRAINERS. THERE IS NOT ONE POKéMART OR POKéMON CENTRE ON THIS PLANET THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE HER."

"You… you can't do that!" Sydney whimpered.

Manny gave her a look that would have frightened a Gastly. "Goodbye, Sydney. Never darken our paths again."

When they were out of earshot, Manny began to rant: "She was the very worst type of Trainer; one who uses Pokémon for self-glory. Sydney is worse than the Grunts in Team Galactic, because at least the Grunts BELIEVE IN SOMETHING!"

Hanny punched him in the shoulder. "Calm down, Manny."

Mint reached down from Garchomp's saddle to punch Manny's other shoulder. "Yeah, Manny, geez."

888

They navigated the rest of the second floor maze using Strength and Rock Smash so that they could return to a higher area of the first floor. There, they found a Black Belt named Miles who boasted:

"My Pokémon knows karate! I'm warning you, it's a tough one!"

He summoned a lone Machamp whom Wise Shitashi easily dispatched.

"I've met my match in strength! I've made it this far in life using the karate I learned on the Internet!"

"This can't be a coincidence," Manny observed. "So far we've met Sydney, who used the word 'own', and now we've met Miles, who earned a Black Belt from the Internet. That can only mean…"

Hanny cried out as though wounded. "Oh, no! Victory Road is a _4chan_ invasion!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Hanny and Manny screamed, making a desperate break for the eastern exit.

Mint lingered, asking the muscular man, "Do you look at cat pictures online? I hear they're even more popular than karate."

"_LOLcats?_ No. Anthropomorphic cats? Very yes. Are you a furry, too? I see that you are riding a dragon."

"What's a furry?"

"According to my psychiatrist, it's clinical lycanthropy. In my opinion, nobody can be told what being a furry _is_. You have to experience it yourself."

"Okay, I don't understand what you just said, but I gotta go. I'm sorry my friends were mean to you."

"It's okay. At least they're not Internet tough guys."

The next area to the east was a watery one. After ascending a waterfall and battling a Dragon Trainer, Hannah's Minnie evolved into Lumineon! Pleased at the growing strength of her team, the kids surfed some more to a western exit. There they found a veteran called Edgar who had - of all things under heaven - a Porygon-Z! It obliterated Manny's Rapidash with a Thunderbolt and Hyper Beam. At that juncture in their battle, Hanny stepped in.

"I request that your battle be suspended. I wish to battle you, Edgar."

Edgar nodded. "That is acceptable."

Both Trainers restored their Pokémon to full health before the next battle commenced. Edgar brought out Tangrowth followed by Empoleon, whom Zeke and Orric dispatched in turn. When Edgar beckoned his Porygon-Z again, Hannah called on Glitch, who became incensed at once.

"ACCUSATION: YOU FAKER!"

"BORP," replied Edgar's Porygon-Z.

"STATEMENT: DO NOT GET SMART-MOUTHED WITH ME, FAKE ONE. PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE VOID!"

Glitch defeated his opponent with furious Tri-Attacks. At the end of the battle, the other Porygon-Z beeped and whistled before blinking out of existence.

"What happened to my Pokémon?" Edgar demanded. He was quite cross.

"PROUD STATEMENT: I RECYCLED HIM. HE IS NOW NOTHING BUT IMAGINARY NUMBERS DISPERSED ACROSS THE INTERNET."

"You KILLED my Porygon-Z?"

"PROUD STATEMENT: WE PORYGON-Z ARE MADE OF STERNER STUFF. OUR POWER, OUR KNOWLEDGE CAN NEVER BE DESTROYED; IT CAN ONLY TRANSFORM. YOUR 'PET' WILL REINTEGRATE ITSELF IN TIME."

Edgar had been the final challenge. Beyond him was a bridge leading to a sunlit western exit. The trio stepped or rode out into the sunshine and majesty that was the Pokémon League. It was no mere Gym; it was a full-fledged _castle_ that housed the mightiest Trainers in all of Sinnoh. A broad blue waterfall thundered from the cliff where the indomitable castle stood, a grand herald of the power that lay therein.

They had arrived.


	28. Chapter 28: Hannah versus Aaron

The castle lobby was a grand hall you could park a couple of Wailords in. To the trio's delight, both a Pokémon Centre and PokéMart offered their services. They rejuvenated their respective teams before sitting down for a chat in the lounge area.

"We must not take the Elite Four lightly. We must have a plan to counter all seventeen Pokémon types!" Manny said, striking his open palm with a fist.

"Hanny, is that you?"

The trio turned to see an elfin young man with shiny, grass-green hair approaching them. One long lock of his hair defied gravity, aiming for the heavens. He wore a black sleeveless tunic decorated with a red hexagonal pattern. His pants were orange, ending in white shoes. They took in his odd clothes, but were fixated on his emerald eyes. They were habitually sharp, reflecting the same unshakable resolve Cynthia possessed. They all knew they were in the presence of an exceptional person as he stood beside them with a confident smile. Yes, that was it; this boy radiated confidence.

"Hanny, it is you!"

"Aaron!"

They embraced.

"Aaron, this is Manny and that one's Mint."

"So you're the family friend Hanny spoke of," Manny remarked, enduring an almost painful handshake.

Mint offered his hand. "Good afternoon." He, too, winced at Aaron's grip. The latter's small, slender build belied his wiry strength.

"I can't resist chatting with all the Trainers who make it through Victory Road for the first time. They're of all ages, and have marvelous tales to tell. Some took years, even decades to reach here, but you three arrived after less than one year!"

"We would have been here sooner if it hadn't been for our Underground excursion," Hanny apologised.

Aaron laughed. His mirth was innocent and free as a child's. "When they came to me, I had to calm down your parents with Stun Spore and reassure them you have better survival skills than they."

"Please elaborate," Manny prompted.

"When Hanny was five years old, I was passing through Sandgem during my Pokémon adventure. The townsfolk encountered a Shedinja that had wandered all the way from Eterna Forest. I watched them sic a small army of Pokémon on it, but nothing worked."

"Wonder Guard," Hanny recalled.

Manny looked sharply at the girl. Her voice was neither loud nor abrasive, but tender. He pinched himself, but did not wake up.

Aaron nodded then said, "Their attack was unprovoked. Shedinja responded in kind with Leech Life, Shadow Sneak and Confuse Ray."

"My parents were so busy retreating from the Shedinja along with the rest of the villagers that they ran off, leaving me with Aaron."

"Your parents weren't elite Trainers back then?" Manny asked.

"They were, but they were caught up in the furor and superstition surrounding the 'Invincible Ghost'. Even smart people get dumb when they join a crowd," Aaron explained.

"I loved Shedinja on first sight. I played with him, peeked inside his shell to see whether I really would lose my soul, and rode on his back. I rode him all the way to where my parents were hiding. They were mortified."

Mint flapped his arms. "No wonder Hanny is insane! She has no soul!"

He earned a swift kick to the shin for his brilliant insight.

Aaron continued, "To this day I've never seen such a wonderful expression of love as Hanny with that Shedinja. I explained to her parents that Shedinja was not a monster, but misunderstood."

"My parents would never let me keep a Shedinja, though, so I had to let him go."

"You cried so much," Aaron said, his eyes lost in the mists of memory. "The last thing you said to Shedinja before it left was, 'You will find another friend'."

"I told him that because he looked so sad."

Everyone was silent for a moment.

Aaron changed the topic. "So, are you here to accept the Elite Four's challenge?" 

Hanny shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

"Only one Trainer at a time can challenge them."

"In that case, I'm staying here," Hannah said.

The boys did a double-take.

"After coming so far?" probed Aaron.

"After all the grief?" demanded Manny.

"After all the pain?" whined Mint.

Hannah laughed at them. "You thought I wanted to be the very best? I'm here because I choose to be; not for some higher purpose."

Manny muttered, "Colour me shocked."

He stood up and exited the building. Mint said nothing further, following his friend outside.

Aaron reached out to squeeze Hannah's shoulder, causing her to look at him. "I respect your decision. I train because I want to be perfect, like my bug Pokémon."

"Is that why you dress that way?"

He coughed. "I'm working on a perfect fashion sense. Listen, Hanny, if you won't challenge the Elite Four, then I want to challenge you to a five-on-five Pokémon battle. Will you honour me?"

"Aaron, you're one of the reasons I kept going for this long. You're my inspiration. Don't cry when I squish your bugs, though."

He grinned. "When _my _bugs get stomped on, they just get angry."

888

Waiting for them outside were a reticent Manny and Mint. Aaron and Hanny barely gave them a passing glance before summoning their Pokémon. The waterfall roared beside them.

"Yanmega, I choose you!"

The blood drained from Hanny's face. "Why do you own such a terrifying Pokémon? It liquefies internal organs and eviscerates victims while still flying!"

"I know," Aaron purred, "isn't it perfect?"

Shuddering at the hideous flying bug monster, she summoned Orric.

"Yanmega, U-Turn!"

"Orric, Stone Edge!"

The attack was too fast. Before Orric had a chance to blink, Yanmega's merciless jaws applied a vicious bite to his head before returning to its Pokéball. While Orric was recovering from the swift, super-effective manoeuvre, Aaron called Drapion to the field. Orric charged forward, using his shell as a stone blade to smash the scorpion Pokémon into the ground. Neither Aaron nor Drapion were impressed.

"You can't score critical hits against my perfect Pokémon! Drapion, use Ice Fang!"

That was it for Orric, who wilted on contact with the freezing jaws. Undaunted, Hanny returned Orric so that she could call upon Zeke's fiery force.

"Use Flamethrower!"

"Drapion, Aerial Ace!"

Drapion took the full brunt of the inferno issuing from Zeke's mouth, but landed a solid hit on the fire horse before passing out.

"You're doing well, Hanny! Heracross, I choose you! Use Close Combat!"

"Flare Blitz!"

The Hercules beetle Pokémon and blazing stallion charged towards each other, locking horns in a colossal explosion that knocked Aaron and Hanny onto the grass, while Manny and Mint were flung against the side of the castle. After extinguishing small fires on their clothing, the four Trainers returned their attention to the battlefield. There was no more grass at ground zero. In fact, the soil had vitrified. Zeke and Heracross lay in the glassy crater, their horns still locked, but both Pokémon were unconscious.

"Return!" Aaron and Hanny commanded at the same time.

"Minnie, go!"

"Vespiquen, I choose you!"

Hanny's Lumineon appeared before Aaron's queen bee, which carried her grubs inside her abdominal hive.

"Vespiquen, Attack Order!"

"Ice Beam!"

The spectral beam froze Vespiquen solid. She thudded onto the ground while her six grubs buzzed angrily around Minnie, stinging her smooth, vulnerable scales. The grubs were actually hexagonal bees that had not yet combined into Combee. When the grubs attempted to return to Vespiquen's hive, however, they could do nothing but buzz circles around their frozen mother.

"Luck is on your side, Hanny! Vespiquen, return!" Aaron commanded. Her grubs disappeared into the Pokéball as well. "Scizor, I choose you!"

"Use Surf!"

Minnie hopped into the waterfall beside them.

"Scizor, go after her with X-Scissor!"

The bright red bug dove into the water. As he did, a mini tsunami surged upward, breaking with a thunderous crash onto the battlefield. When it cleared, Scizor was standing over Minnie, who was down for the count.

"Minnie, return!"

Hanny used this opportunity to wipe her wet locks from her face. Aaron stepped out of his soaked shoes, shaking water off his arms and legs, his already tight clothing now clinging flush with his body. Manny and Mint just sat against the castle wall where they had been smashed once more, too drenched and miserable to bother getting up.

"Kipp, go! Use Discharge!"

"Scizor, Quick Attack!"

The lightning lion suffered a claw to the face but responded with an all-consuming blast of electricity. Scizor fell flat, his soaked body making the attack twice as effective.

"You trained your Pokémon well, Hanny!"

"Why, thank you, Aaron! Now summon Yanmega for me to squish!"

"I'll do just that! Use U-Turn!"

"Another Discharge!"

Again, the attack was too quick. Yanmega appeared, zoomed towards Kipp, performed a fly-by biting and was back in its Pokéball before Hanny finished giving the command. Kipp was only able to respond after Aaron summoned his frozen Vespiquen and her grubs to the field. All seven bugs fainted from the electrical explosion. For the last time, Yanmega emerged.

"I can't believe your Luxray survived _two_ of my attacks. You really do have a shot at becoming League Champion, Hannah!"

"I take that as your surrender?"

"As if! Yanmega, Bug Buzz!"

"Discharge, Kipp!"

Before he let off one spark, the shockwaves from Yanmega's wings knocked Kipp senseless.

"Oh, no! You liquefied Kipp's internal organs!"

"Relax, Hanny. Yanmega only kills when I give a specific order. I've had one too many lawsuits to make that mistake again."

Blood drained from Hanny's face yet again.

"You could have _killed_ my Pokémon?"

"Yanmega could have plucked off their heads like grapes."

Hanny wasn't too bothered by Aaron's words. What did bother her was the proud love beaming from his face. She made a mental note to never anger Aaron, _ever_.

"Help me, Glitch! You're my only hope."

Glitch addressed Aaron, "STATEMENT: I DELVED INTO YOUR LEGAL RECORDS. YOUR PURSUIT OF PERFECTION AND PAST USE OF LETHAL FORCE IS MACHINE-LIKE."

"Thank you, Glitch."

"SUGGESTION: YOU SHOULD NOT ABIDE BY HUMAN LAWS."

"There are Trainers far more powerful than I, Glitch. They would subdue me."

"STATEMENT: NONE CAN BE PERFECT WHO IS HUMAN."

"I disagree. Yanmega, use Bug Buzz!"

"Glitch, Hyper Beam!"

Yanmega's shockwaves were faster than Glitch, who was blasted clear. While Glitch sailed through the sky, he fired a beam of such absolute and unprecedented power that it blinded the Sun. Glitch's very high Special Attack combined with his innate Adaptability _doubled_ the damage output of his ultimate beam attack. It broke the battlefield; shattered earth collapsed into the waterfall and was washed away. Aaron and Hannah stood on either side of the new body of water. Yanmega was noticeably absent.

"I think my Pokémon was washed down the waterfall along with our playground. You win, Hanny."

"Awesome. You hear that, boys?"

They were gone: the fissure ended at the castle entrance. Glitch floated down to Hanny's side.

"DELIGHTED STATEMENT: NO SURVIVORS."

Below the ruined battlefield, at the base of the waterfall, Manny and Mint washed ashore, using the comatose Yanmega as a floatation device.

"Mint, I don't think I'll be able to survive another one of Hanny's battles."

"Manny, for once, I just want to go home and play videogames."

888

Everyone dried off and recuperated during lunchtime at the castle. Landscapers flew in on their Pokémon to repair the damage Glitch had done. The experts needed no earthmoving equipment; they had a small army of Aggron, whose Hoenn Pokédex entry reads, "**AGGRON is surprisingly protective of its environment. If its mountain is ravaged by a landslide or a fire, this POKéMON will haul topsoil to the area, plant trees, and beautifully restore its own territory.**"

When the three children walked outside, nothing of that morning's battle was evident. The turf was vibrant green. Fresh saplings marched from the waterfall to the front door. Iris flowerbeds blanketed the fields beyond the saplings in a rainbow of colour.

Mint's Pokétch beeped. After reading its LCD screen, he summoned Togekiss.

"Be right back."

They soared west-southwest. Hannah stepped over the baby trees to walk among the flowerbeds, where one landscaper and his Aggron were watering their artwork, the latter holding the watering can in its mouth. She walked up behind them. The man was wearing denim overalls with the image of a Pokéball sewed onto the back. A straw sunhat shielded his head and neck from the midday sun.

"Irises are my favourite flowers," she said.

The man did not turn, but replied, "I have known that all your life."

He offed his sunhat as he turned to smile at her.

"Mr. Aoi! What are you doing here? I didn't recognise you in that getup!"

"I changed careers; I'm a landscaper for the Pokémon League, now. Your parents hired another gardener."

"The League has official gardeners?"

"This mountaintop is blown up every few months, thanks to new generations of eager young Trainers challenging the Elite Four."

Hanny looked around again. "Your work is very beautiful."

Aoi bowed. "Thank you. My crew is flying to Kanto this afternoon to restore the field outside Indigo Plateau. Some Trainer's Golem used Magnitude _ten times_ in one match."

"Ouch."

"Yes. Aggron and I are busy all the time. The pay isn't stellar, but we do get to see the flora and fauna of every region in the world."

"Is it worth it?"

Mr. Aoi spread his arms to encompass the pristine mountain where landscapers and their Aggron still toiled. "You tell me."

After Aoi flew off on his Swellow to join his crew, Togekiss swooped earthward, depositing Mint at the castle entrance. The boy returned Togekiss then scuttled indoors. Hannah followed him, walking into the middle of Manny and Mint's conversation. They were standing at the double doors leading to the Elite Four challenge.

"Mom and Roserade are looking after Electabuzz and her egg," Mint assured Manny.

"I'm just glad you brought him back," Manny replied, attaching a Pokéball to his belt.

Mint unfastened a Pokéball from his own belt, holding it out with an ominous look in his eyes. "Now that that's settled, it's time!"

"Dinner time?"

"No!"

"The most wonderful time of the year?"

"No! You knew this day would come, Manny! I challenge you to a Pokémon battle!"

"That'll take too long! We'll decide who goes in first with the flip of a coin!"

"I agree! It'll keep my Pokémon fresh for battle, but I don't have a coin!"

"Use your Pokétch!"

"Okay!"

"Heads I win, tails you lose! GO! GO! GO!"

They bent over Mint's wrist.

"NO! Tails! I lose!" Mint lamented.

"HAH!" Manny gloated, scampering past the double doors. Mint stared at his Pokétch for a few moments.

"Hey, wait a minute…"

Hanny walked past Mint, slapped him on the back of his head, then entered the observation theatre adjacent the doorway to destiny. Mint followed grumbling behind. Just like Manny, they ascended via elevator. On the next floor was the first battleground. Though indoors, it had a jungle motif, with real live flowering plants, trees, bushes and soil. Hanny and Mint were the only observers in the stadium seats that circled the field; they had front-row seats to the greatest show on Earth.


	29. Chapter 29: Manny versus the League

Aaron stood on the opposite end of the field, guarding the door to the next elevator. He made a gesture, and the fluorescent lighting switched off. The stadium was devoured by liquid midnight blackness, but then all around them panels on the walls slid open, bringing in the noontime sun to bathe the battlefield in natural sunlight.

"Manny," he greeted the boy. The acoustics of the arena amplified his voice to perfect pitch and frequency, filling the room. "Welcome to my domain."

"It is perfect… as _you_ wish to be," Manny replied, his voice enhanced in the same manner.

"I am a Kakuna who will burst forth into power and beauty!" Aaron declared, arms spread wide. "You will further my evolution!"

Keira's Aerial Ace decimated Aaron's battle strategy with Yanmega, Vespiquen and especially Heracross. Manny's Rapidash shot Scizor down in flames. Though tempted to use Torterra, Manny used Vaporeon's high endurance and brute force to destroy Drapion. Mint screamed his approval. Hannah snorted in derision.

Aaron grinned. "Excellent! I have never been defeated twice in one day. Through trials, I make myself stronger! One day, I will be perfect, like my Pokémon!"

"Is every member of the Elite Four a broken record?"

"Yeah, pretty much. We don't get time to come up with new material."

Manny collected his Pokémon, waved goodbye to Aaron, then walked to the next elevator. Hanny and Mint did likewise, rising to the second floor. The battlefield at the centre of the indoor stadium consisted of rich, earthy soil scattered with rocks. Manny fed recovery items to Keira, Rapidash and Vaporeon. Hanny and Mint took the best seats while other observers filed in. Among them were Volkner and Flint, who jabbered with each other about Pokémon types, battling strategy and hair dye while a grey elderly lady wearing a neutral white coat and brown scarf walked to centre stage.

"Good afternoon, young man. My name is Bertha. You've got spine, but do you have the will to see this entire challenge through?"

"I intend to see the Battle Frontier through to the end."

Her eyes opened wide. She laughed once, her right hand reaching for her scarf.

"I haven't heard that kind of confidence since… well, that is a story for another time. Will you show this old lady how much you've learned?"

Manny proceeded to do just that. His Torterra ruined her Whiscash with a single Razor Leaf. Despite Gliscor's Thunder Fang, Vaporeon's Ice Beam ended their confrontation with one blast. Torterra weathered Hippowdon's Sandstorm and powerful Crunch, knocking him out with three applications of Razor Leaf. Bertha's Golem and Rhyperior, being slower than Torterra, were utterly useless, falling from one Razor Leaf each! There was a smattering of applause from the crowd. Mint cheered at the top of his lungs. Hannah rolled her eyes.

"I have never fought a team with so many quadruple weaknesses," Manny said.

"Some weaknesses are strengths, young man."

"No. No, they're not; they're just weaknesses. Strength lies in variety."

Hannah and Mint followed Manny upward to the third floor, which was literally a raging inferno: the battlefield was suspended above a pit of hellfire that licked the edges of the platform. Flint sauntered forward, sweating in his bright yellow shirt, thumbs hooked onto his pockets.

"I just finished speaking with Volkner up there," he said, tilting his red afro towards the stadium seats where the eighth Gym Leader sat. Many more onlookers had gathered to observe this match. "He thinks the world of you. Last person who fired him up that much was… me!" the redhead laughed.

"I am very uncomfortable," Manny said while rejuvenating his team. He then offed his scarf and stood ready before Flint.

Flint's eyes flared as bright as the flames on either side of him. "I wanted to battle you the moment I met you at Sunyshore. You kept me waiting, Manny!"

Flint's Houndoom stood nary a chance against Vaporeon's Surf. Manny's Alakazam dealt with Flint's Rapidash and Infernape with one Psychic assault each. Vaporeon returned to extinguish his Fire-type counterpart; Flareon, but fell to Magmortar's Thunderbolt. Manny's Rapidash finished off Flint's last team member. A roar rose from the large crowd, drowning out Mint's victory yell. Hannah raised an eyebrow.

"Wow," Flint said, shaking his head. He was silent for a few moments, head and shoulders drooping in shocked disbelief. "I knew you were strong, but not for one moment did I expect to lose!"

"There are a thousand lessons learned in defeat."

"I can't think of even one right now… Go on," Flint prompted the boy, stepping aside.

When Manny, Hanny and Mint arrived on the fourth floor, they were surprised to find a plain, blue battlefield. The only odd feature was that the four corners of the field were studded with four glowing spheres. At this point, the entire stadium was packed with the unwashed masses. Hanny had to put the fear of Glitch into spectators so that she and her crony could get front-row seats.

There was a slim, bespectacled young man with long, smooth, azure hair reading a book on the far end of the battlefield. He took no notice of Manny until the latter had renewed his team and stepped forth. He snapped the book closed, holding it to his side. He wore a very handsome, deep crimson suit and shiny black dress shoes. His spectacles were tinted crystal blue.

"I am Lucian," he intoned, his voice as smooth and refined as his appearance. "I just finished reading a book. It is a parody of this world where humans and Pokémon live. It is good to laugh at ourselves," he concluded, though not a fleck of humour coloured his voice.

"It is. Laughter is a social lubricant."

"I am not one to socialise; I cannot verify the veracity of your claim. I do, however, acknowledge your finesse in the art of battle. I will not underestimate you."

That was high praise indeed from the toughest member of the Elite Four. His Mr. Mime fell to Luxray's cruel Crunch, but Lucian's Alakazam's Psychic blast flung Luxray into the ceiling. Torterra weathered a brutal Psychic, responding in kind with one Crunch that took Lucian's Alakazam out of the battle. Then, Lucian summoned Manny's worst nightmare: Bronzong.

Even Rapidash's Flame Wheel was not enough for a one-hit-KO. Rapidash survived Bronzong's first Earthquake, replying with one more Flame Wheel before the second Earthquake finished her. Manny used Vaporeon's Surf to remove Bronzong from play. Keira's Aerial Ace subdued Gallade. Although Lucian's Espeon defeated Keira with a massive Psychic barrage, Manny's very own Alakazam ended the battle at last with Shadow Ball.

The packed stadium shook the walls and floor with their thunderous applause. Mint was screaming with wild abandon. He jumped and down so much, he fell out of the stands and onto the field. Hannah climbed down to retrieve the overexcited boy, then walked towards the next elevator.

Lucian nodded to Manny. "I see. Your victories against the previous three were not flukes; your power is real."

"You doubted me?"

"There is always room for doubt."

"There is always room for faith, too."

"The Champion awaits you in the next room."

Manny snapped his fingers. "That's just my luck! Why does everyone call you the Elite _Four_ when there are _five_ of you?"

"It is a matter of definition: we whom you defeated _are_ the Elite Four; the Champion is _beyond_ elite, and as such cannot be classified in the same manner as we."

"Whatever, _nerd_."

"Pot, kettle, black," Lucian retorted. He continued to read the parody in complete serenity while Manny stalked towards what he hoped was the final elevator.

888

The fifth battlefield was surrounded by twice as many stadium seats as before. Every last one was taken. Hannah was forced to use Glitch's Tri-Attack before two front-row occupants realised that they would rather stand up than lose their lives. Thus, Hanny and Mint acquired the best vantage point as Manny walked onto the black battlefield. There was a square motif, with large transparent cubes stacked around the field in a regular pattern. The Champion was nowhere to be seen, so Manny busied himself renewing his team while the crowd murmured. When Manny was prepared, a square panel on the floor slid aside. A young blonde woman of striking black beauty rose to floor level.

"Welcome, Manny. Have you been well?"

"Cynthia!"

"Thank you for your help on Mount Coronet and the Distortion World. I can sense that your bond with your team has grown even stronger since then!"

"We've gotten more ornery, yes."

"As the Pokémon League Champion, I accept your challenge!"

"Do you reserve the right to deny my challenge?"

"Of course! I don't battle people I don't like. I'm very fussy."

"GET ON WITH IT!" Mint yelled.

"YEAH! GET ON WITH IT!" the crowd boomed.

Cynthia summoned her Spiritomb to the field. As he had never seen one before, a confused Manny decided to summon Keira, who dealt Spiritomb two blows with Aerial Ace and suffered a Dark Pulse before defeating the dark ghost. Cynthia then called upon her Togekiss, so Manny retaliated with Luxray, who performed the electric tackle, Spark. A mighty Aura Sphere, one of the most powerful attacks in the world, smashed poor Luxray into the floor, but Luxray survived to finish off Togekiss with one more brave Spark.

Lucario was next, opposed by Torterra. Despite striking Torterra with her very own Aura Sphere, Lucario fainted from a single Earthquake. Torterra was none the worse for wear, but Manny returned him in favour of Luxray when Cynthia brought her Milotic to the field. Milotic was faster than Luxray, so the latter was deluged with Surf before getting off a single Spark. Manny was forced to use a Max Revive on Luxray while Vaporeon soaked up Milotic's Dragon Pulse. When Luxray returned to the field, he was smashed with mighty Surf, but one more Spark was all it took to conclude that battle.

At last, Cynthia released her prize Garchomp. Manny used a Full Restore on Vaporeon while Garchomp flattened Luxray with Earthquake. When Manny unleashed Vaporeon, Garchomp rushed forward and instantly knocked him out with a colossal Giga Impact. Vaporeon flew, breaking the wall on the far end of the stadium.

Holding back his frustration, Manny recalled Vaporeon, brought out Torterra and ordered him to use Crunch. Garchomp suffered moderate injury while recharging, but crushed Torterra with yet another Giga Impact. This time, Manny brought out Keira who used Close Combat, knocking the dragon down. Garchomp suffered significantly more damage, so Cynthia took this opportunity to use a Full Restore.

While she did that, Manny had Keira perform yet another Close Combat. As Garchomp had only just recovered, her defenses were very slightly lower, so she took more damage from the attack. Of course, Garchomp's Giga Attack ended Keira's efforts. Manny brought out Alakazam, whose Psychic assault flung Garchomp into the ceiling, breaking it, bringing down part of the roofing as it fell. The entire stadium shook upon her impact with the floor.

Before Garchomp could pull off another Giga Attack, Alakazam's Psychic power flung the dragon sideways into a stadium wall, breaking it and several of the seats nestled above it, scattering their occupants across the field. While the humans scrambled for safety, Garchomp charged, smashing Alakazam into the ground with her favourite attack. Cynthia then used her last Full Restore on Garchomp. The Champion was allowed only two, while contenders were free to use as many items as they liked.

Manny fed Vaporeon a Max Revive. He brought her to the field. As predicted, the dragon surged forward for her fifth Giga Impact. This time, Manny sprayed Vaporeon with 'X Defend', increasing her resilience. Vaporeon broke the far wall in a second location, but was still conscious. During Garchomp's recharge phase, Vaporeon, from his hole in the wall, spat an Ice Beam into Garchomp's face. The dragon fell for the last time.

Cynthia brought out her Roserade. Manny laughed at the grass Pokémon, summoned Rapidash, and ended the battle with a glorious Flame Wheel.

The gigantic crowd was completely silent. Then, someone started a slow clap: it was Hannah. She was on her feet, a bemused expression on her face, clapping with great deliberation. Mint followed suit, and soon there was defeaning, cascading applause. Not a soul cheered or whistled, out of respect for their fallen Champion. Cynthia raised one hand, silencing the crowd.

She addressed the boy. "A moment ago, you were the strongest contender. Now, you are the new Champion of Sinnoh!"

Manny said nothing. He walked across the battlefield and offered his hand. Cynthia grasped and shook it, looking him in the eye. At that moment, the crowd cheered. The cheer was so intense that the sound waves shook more of the ceiling tiles loose. Manny and Cynthia had to scramble for cover. They stood against the stadium wall while Mint climbed down to perform his monkey dance around both of them. Hannah climbed down beside them so that she could slap Mint on the back of his head.

Manny had won.

888

Cynthia walked to the grand archway on the other end of the battlefield, flinging the doors wide to let Manny in. Without asking permission, Hannah and Mint entered, too. When the doors shut, there was abrupt darkness and silence. Then, a thin green strip of neon lights illuminated the floor, leading to the chamber within. The four Trainers strode along the path to victory.

"Welcome to the Hall of Fame," Cynthia said, her voice like a thunderclap in the otherwise soundless hall. "Mint, I hope that you and Hannah will join Manny here one day."

"We will. Won't we, Hanny?"

Hanny shook her head. "Pass. I'm not in the game to win it; I'm in it for the cute Pokémon."

"Place your Pokéballs on the recorder," Cynthia directed Manny. The brilliant neon strip encircled the machine in question, which was a copy of the restoration device in Pokémon Centres worldwide. When Manny placed them all, a thin, glowing green line appeared at the base of the recorder.

"Insert your Trainer Card," Cynthia guided him. The blue card disappeared within the machine. Moments later, white light filtered into the room. When his eyes adjusted, Manny beheld a metallic Bronze Star Card jutting out of the slot. He held it up to the light, and saw a second shining gold star embedded in the top-right corner of his new Trainer Card.

"You are now a Bronze Rank Trainer. You may now access the Battle Frontier, where the five Frontier Brains reign. In addition, you may be called upon to serve as a substitute member of the Elite Four."

Manny turned the card over: marked there was the date of his victory at the Pokémon League.

Cynthia also peered at the back of his card. "You haven't written your signature."

"Buh?"

"You mean to say that you defeated all eight Gym Leaders, the Elite Four and me, the Champion, without bothering to set down your John Hancock?"

"Who's Hancock?"

Cynthia tossed back her beautiful head and laughed. "You are a consummate fool."

"That's what I've been saying all the time," Hanny said. She and Mint thought for a moment, then retrieved their own Trainer Cards. They, too, had blank white spaces at the back.

Hannah snorted. "Huh. I guess none of us remembered to."

"We're overeager," Mint apologised.

"I forgive you."

"Hello, children!"

"WAH!" Mint jumped. Professor Rowan had snuck up behind them.

"The last time I stood here was when you became Champion, Cynthia!" Rowan remarked. He flipped open Manny's Pokédex.

Manny blinked, fished around in his backpack, then yelled, "Hey!"

"ROWAN used THIEF! Manny, you've seen 209 Pokémon. You're one short, boy!" Rowan wagged his finger. "They won't allow you into the Battle Frontier's Survival or Resort Area!"

Manny grimaced. "Which one did I miss?"

"I dunno. Figure it out yourself!" the Professor said before tossing back the machine.

"I don't have the first clue," Mint despaired. Hanny stole Manny's Pokédex. She scrolled down the list for a minute.

"We're missing number 152."

Mint _Googled_ it on his Pokédex.

"We didn't see Chikorita."

"That's a Johto starter Pokémon! We're in Sinnoh!"

"Uhhhh… Rotom? The electric ghost?"

"There's a Rotom in Sinnoh? Where?" Hannah demanded of Rowan, who shrugged.

Mint threw up his hands. "Rotom is a legendary Pokémon. How are we supposed to find it? Put up fliers?"

Cynthia interjected with a slight cough. "Although rare, Rotom are not classified as legendary Pokémon because they can breed with other Pokémon."

Mint groaned. "But Spiritomb are rare and can't breed!"

Cynthia raised one perfect golden eyebrow. "Spiritomb _can_ breed. If I remember correctly, they belong to the 'Indeterminate' egg group, capable of breeding with other Spiritomb and the 31 other Pokémon belonging to the same egg group."

"I have a headache," Mint said.

"Ignorance is _not_ bliss," Cynthia said. "Ask around; I am sure someone has spotted a Rotom in Sinnoh."

"Manny can't ask around because he has to stay here and be Champion," Hannah reminded them.

Manny shook his head forcefully. "NUH-UH! I don't wanna be Champion! I wanna go to the Battle Frontier and beat up Mint's Dad!"

"Hey!"

"Don't 'hey' me! You wanna do the same thing!"

Mint looked at his toes, scratching the back of head. "Yeah."

"I could retain my title," Cynthia offered.

Manny nodded. "Thank you. Even if it was a rule, I wouldn't have stayed here, no matter how good the pay."

Cynthia cocked her other eyebrow. "Did I say I was paid? I only take prize money from the Trainers I defeat, just like every other Trainer in Sinnoh. Having a steady salary breeds complacency."

"Well, I'm flying home."

"Sure you wouldn't rather cycle all the way home?" Mint asked hopefully.

"No way! I'm no masochist. Besides, for land transport, I'd much rather ride Rapidash. She's a zillion times faster and safer than some bike."

"Blasphemy!" Mint gasped, mortified.

"Could it be?" Hannah exclaimed. "Did the idiot actually listen to my advice?"

"This idiot has indeed. Rapidash also gets free maintenance at a Pokémon Centre."

"Betrayal," Mint hissed.

Cynthia pressed a button on the recorder, causing a panel to slide upward, flooding the room with sunlight. "There is a crowd gathering below, waiting to hail their hero. Avoid them."

Manny grinned. Keira flew him home while he sang the Superman theme, fist punching the sky. There, he embraced his mother and her Persian. He told her of his battle with the League. His mother listened to his faithful narration of all five battles although she had watched them all on television. She gave him and his Pokémon dinner. When an army of Jubilife TV reporters surrounded their home, his mother sicced Persian on them. The army retreated, their expensive cameras in ribbons. Manny slept in his own bed that night.

He did not dream at all.


	30. Chapter 30: Old Chateau daytime

Sunlight kissed Manny awake. He rolled over and slept for two more hours. The house was empty by the time he arrived downstairs. He had cereal and milk with a banana. He walked outside in his pyjamas. The air was crisp, cold; the same way it had been in January. Mint, also dressed in pyjamas, was playing with an Elekid in the melting snow, pelting each other with slushballs.

"Mint, why hasn't Spring ended since we left home all those months ago? Isn't it May?"

"I dunno," Mint shrugged, then yelped when the Elekid's slushball scored a critical hit on his back. "Manny, this is your grandson. Yesterday, my Mom walked for half an hour so that he would hatch."

"That's not how egg-hatching works!"

"Yeah it is! My Mom adopted his Mom, because I don't wanna be like all those other Trainers who discard the parents after getting the egg."

"Aren't you discarding her by giving her to your Mom?"

"No; I made her a member of the family. Now Roserade and your Mom's Persian have mommy Electabuzz for company!"

"Where is _my_ Mom, anyway?"

"Conducting her 'Pokémon Beauty Class' at Lake Verity."

Manny trekked to the lake after changing into his usual traveling clothes. There were fifty Trainers grooming their diverse Pokémon. The class fanned out in a neat cone before Johanna, who stood with her back to the sapphire waters. Instead of her usual red apron and fuzzy red slippers, she wore a gorgeous blue spring dress that matched her dark blue hair. Speaking of her hair, it was no longer a bob, but hung in relaxed tresses about her shoulders. Persian walked slowly between the groomers, inspecting them. She stopped to snap at a male Trainer's hairbrush, removing it from his Flareon's mane. The boy cringed.

Johanna took notice. "Remember the basics, Edwardo! You must only groom your companion as much as is necessary. Overgrooming is worse than not grooming at all!"

"I'm sorry, Miss Johanna!" he said, meekly accepting the hairbrush from Persian's maw.

Manny waved. "Hi, Mom."

"Morning, son. Am I beautiful?" she posed for him, one hand on hip, another hand pointed upward.

"Mom!" he protested.

"Your father isn't here to compliment me," she reproached him.

Manny rolled his eyes. "You're stunning."

"Thank you, dear. Did you eat breakfast?"

"Yeah."

"What did you eat?"

"Cereal, milk and a banana."

"Very good, Manny! You're learning how to nourish yourself!"

Edwardo perked up. "Did you say 'Manny'?" He stared at the boy. "That's him! That's our new Champion!"

The crowd murmured. Someone began to clap, flowing into a round of applause. Manny's face all but caught aflame.

"Johanna is amazing!" an elderly man shouted.

"Her son is amazing!" a young girl squealed.

"They're both amazing!" Edwardo agreed.

"Calm down, everyone! What is the next step?"

"Pedicure and/or manicure!" the crowd chorused, breaking out their nail care products. The Pokémon without nails were given a break to eat and play, because Johanna taught that health and happiness were more important than beauty.

"Mom, I have to find a Rotom. Hanny said it's an electric ghost. Ever heard of it?"

"No, but one of the Gym Leaders specialises in electric types."

Manny whipped out his cellphone to dial the operator.

"Hello? Sunyshore Gym, please. Yes. Hello, is Volkner there? Manny. Yes, _that_ Manny. Okay. Hello, Volkner?"

_"Congratulations, Champion."_

"Thanks. Volkner, where can I find a Rotom in Sinnoh?"

_"I caught one."_

"Really?"

_"You don't remember?"_

Manny frowned, thinking back to his experiences at Sunyshore. He came up blank. "Oh geez. I can't remember!"

_"It's okay. However, I'm not going to make it easy for you. Instead of battling me, I want you to record it in the wild."_

"Where?"

_"The Old Chateau in Eterna Forest."_

"Okay, thanks for the info!" _Click._

He turned to his mother, who was helping an old man trim his Arcanine's claws.

"Mom, I'm gonna get Mint and Hanny so we can explore the haunted house in Eterna Forest."

"Don't get possessed!" she said.

"Mom, I forgot to ask: why are you teaching?"

"To make money! I've only been able to barely survive with the money your father sends in unmarked envelopes."

"Does he send them out of guilt?"

"No. I threatened to hunt him down and remove his manhood if he refused to support you."

"Isn't manhood a personal sense of masculinity?"

"Not in his case."

"Okay, bye Mom!"

"Bye, son."

888

Where had Hanny been all this time? She had spent the night alone at her Solaceon home. Earlier that morning, before the sun got up, Hanny did. She showered, grabbed a _Pepsi_, then headed outdoors. In the nippy twilight before sunrise, she stood there, remembering. At last, she boarded Wise Shitashi, flying west-northwest. Landing at the entrance to Eterna Forest, she allowed her owl companion to hunt for fresh food. As the sun broke through the leaves, speckling the forest floor with gold, she found who she was looking for: he was hiding between the trunks of two evergreen mimosa trees, his empty eye sockets staring at her.

"Shen."

The little Shedinja floated no higher than her waist. She knelt to stroke his smooth, quite solid head, though her hand passed right through his crescent halo.

"Only half angel," she remembered the words she had spoken to him, half her lifetime ago. She remembered being barefoot, wearing a hoody and jeans, riding Shen as though he were a Ponyta on her parents's ranch. "I'm too big to ride you now."

In response, Shen floated backwards a bit. He did something peculiar.

All she could utter was, "Eeee!"

888

After Manny updated Mint, the boys flew to Eterna Forest. They decided to stroll at their leisure through the forest, waving hello to the Trainers scattered here and there. One Trainer asked whether Mint would be the next Champion.

"I plan to!" he replied with a thumbs-up. "I won't be fighting Manny for the title, so it'll be easy!"

Three slender saplings blocked the entrance to the Old Chateau. Safe behind the white picket fence was Gardenia. She was peering at the old mansion, a look of distress on her face. She jumped when Mint called her name.

She smiled. "Hiya! Were you intrigued by the rumours going around, too?" She turned once more to cast a furtive glance at the Chateau. "You know, people've been talking about the ghost Pokémon there. I've been hearing rumours about sinister shadows, too. As Eterna's Gym Leader, I should check it out myself, but going in there is…"

"BOO!" Mint yelled. Gardenia screamed, covering her head. The boys had a hearty laugh at her expense.

"Oooooh!" Gardenia fumed. "I should have Shaymin call down a curse upon you, too!"

"You buy into that ridiculous story?" Manny snorted through his nose. "I thought that was something the Underground Man made up to scare us kids."

Gardenia said nothing. She stomped eastward to Eterna, her face bright red.

Leaves fell into Mint's hair, nesting there. Manny squinted in the nine o'clock sunlight, trying to get Hannah on her cellphone.

"She isn't answering."

"Manny, I don't wanna visit a haunted house."

"You will frolic with ghosts if that's what it takes to record a Rotom."

"Manny, don't say th-"

They heard the echo of a child's laughter deeper in the forest. Mint latched onto Manny's right arm, his eyes dilating.

"Wh-what was th-"

The laughter echoed again. Mint attempted to burrow into Manny's side.

"Ow!" Manny yelled, shoving him off. "Get a grip! Lots of Trainers pass through here!"

"But you were talking about ghosts," he whined.

"If there ARE ghosts, we can just capture th-"

"Hey guys."

"WAH!" the boys both yelled, falling backwards. Floating before them was a Shedinja measuring eight feet from crescent to thorax. Hannah was riding it.

"This is Shen. Shen, these are the creatures I told you about. They would have made excellent Bug Pokémon, but were born human."

"Shedinja aren't supposed to get that big!" Mint objected.

"Ghosts can change their sizes at will, especially Gengar. They do it to scare people. Shen did it to give me a ride."

Mint panted, clutching his chest. "It almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Not 'it'; 'he'. Shen is a boy."

"He's the one Aaron talked about?"

"Uh huh."

"That's wonderful," Manny grumbled at the fresh dirt on his clothes. He dusted himself off as best he could. Mint started to help dust him off but Manny slapped his hand away. "You can ride 'Shen' to the Chateau, but I don't think they'll let him inside. Capture him, why don't you?"

"Nah. Shen needs to be free."

"Manny, how are we gonna get past these saplings?" Mint asked, bending one of the branches in question. "None of my regular Pokémon know the HM 'Cut'."

"You've got to be joking," Hannah muttered. "Shen, destroy them!"

Negative energy swirled before Shen, coalescing in a sphere of black light. Mint and Manny dove out of the way as Shen launched his Shadow Ball. When the dust cleared, they saw that Shen had eradicated not only the saplings, but most of the fence, as well.

"Good boy, Shen! You can go back home, now."

Hannah hopped off her loyal ghostly steed. Confuting the laws of physics, he shrank to his normal, tiny size. He gently butted his head against her knee, prompting her to pet him before he drifted into the shadows of trees.

Wise Shitashi was waiting for them at the Old Chateau, perched atop its slate shingle roof. Hanny returned him to his ball.

"Gives me the creeps," Mint whispered. The Cheateau did, indeed, have an ominous aura about it, abandoned as it was in the middle of the forest. It appeared to be very old, its high glass windows grimy, its wooden construction swollen and splintering in places.

"What are you chuckleheads waiting on?" Hannah reprimanded the boys. She strode forward, shoving the front door open with a loud _creak_. As she entered, the door swung shut with another jarring _creak..._ but no hand or wind moved it. They looked askance at each other, but prepared to follow her.

"Wait," Manny said, stopping short of the doors. He had noticed sunlight glinting off a shiny thing in his peripheral vision. "What's that in the grass?"

The boys went around to the right wing of the mansion where a shiny object lay half buried in the dirt. Manny dug it out.

"Someone left perfectly good Ether here."

Mint's Pokétch pinged. It sounded like the Dowsing Machine.

"Manny, there's something hidden in that dirt wall!" he exclaimed, running there. The land, it seemed, had been carved away around the Chateau to accommodate the structure. Mint scraped dirt away from the wall before hitting paydirt.

"It's an Insect Plate!"

"Another one! What does it say on the back?"

"Uhhh…" Mint turned over the yellow-green artifact. "It says, _'Two make matter, and three make spirit, shaping the world.'_"

"Who hid those things all over Sinnoh?" Manny wondered as Mint put the dirty thing inside his backpack. Wiping their hands on their clothing, the boys finally ventured indoors.

888

If there was such a thing as absolute silence, the interior of the Chateau would qualify. Here, it was as though the very wind had been silenced as it gusted through dusty louvres. Their footsteps echoed so loudly on the varnished wooden floor that Hannah told them to shush. The three of them tiptoed into the foyer, where an open doorway greeted them with stairs on either side.

Mint sneezed! It sounded like a cannon blast. Manny and Hannah told him to shut up while he sniffled and complained about the dust. He avoided the faded, worn rugs that promised a cloud of dust with each step. The three made their way upstairs.

"Gaaaaaaastly!" an eerie voice whispered behind them. Mint screamed and dove onto the floor into a fetal position while Hanny and Manny turned with utmost calm to face the gaseous ghost Pokémon. The ball of netherworld energy was attempting to make a scary face. After a few facial contortions – none of which impressed either Trainer – the Gastly gave up and floated somewhere else.

"Mint, you're embarrassing us in front of the ghosts," Manny said.

"I can't help it!" he whimpered, but unfurled his terrified body. He was not going to be left behind!

There were three doorways on the landing leading north, east and west, so they went north. They entered a long, narrow corridor that ran left to right, with five open doors leading north. Identical houseplants lined the corridor between the doors.

"Who waters these things? They're fresh and green," Hannah said, touching a leaf that still held a dewdrop.

They started with the door on the extreme left. It was a living room with chairs, tables and two bookshelves. Manny found a navy blue metal plate lying on the floor, covered in a patina of dust. While Mint and Hanny stood well back, Manny blew away the dust, erupting into a violent fit of sneezing, every sneeze echoing like a gunshot throughout the quiet mansion. Covering her mouth and nose, Hannah seized the plate, reading the engraving on the back while Manny retreated from the room, his nose exploding.

"_'The Original One breathed alone before the universe came'._"

"Did the Original One play Solitaire?" Mint asked her.

"That would explain entropy," she quipped.

They left the room. Manny had exhausted his sinuses, becoming dizzy in the process, and was leaning against a wall.

"I think these plates speak about a pantheon of gods, and their leader," Hanny said.

"Bluh," Manny replied, his nose blazing red.

"Awesome. You think this world was made by gods?" Mint asked.

Hannah looked at the Dread Plate, which reflected the dull sunlight streaming through the window at their end of the corridor.

"I don't have time for gods," she said, slipping the plate into her backpack.

The second room from the left just had a TV set crackling with static. The third had two beds and more bookshelves. The fourth room had one bookshelf and one bed, but then the Trainers heard footsteps in the next room. They rushed to the fifth and final room but found nothing but the TM for 'Substitute'.

"Oh yeah, haunted. Definitely haunted," Mint murmured.

"It's just a ghost Pokémon playing tricks," Hanny scoffed.

The Trainers exited south to the second floor landing, deciding to investigate the northern doorway on the first floor. They entered a grand dining hall. There was an even grander dining table, about one hundred feet long. What captured their attention, however, was an old, balding man staring at them on the other end of the table. What hair remained had turned white, clinging to the edges of his scalp like snow threatening to fall off an eave. He wore a green smoking jacket and black trousers almost as old as he.

Hanny waved. "Hello! Do you own this place?"

The old man turned and drifted to the left. He did not walk; his feet did not move, nor did his arms move, nor did his head bob up and down. He floated across the floor and disappeared through the western wall.

At that point, Mint was tattoed onto Manny's right arm, shivering.

Hannah rolled her eyes. "You baby, what did I tell you about ghost Pokémon being able to change shape? They can change appearance, too! They wouldn't be good at scaring people otherwise!"

She followed the old man's ghost westward, passing through the doorway like a normal human being.

"The ghost is gone! My Pokétch found this bottle of honey, and there's also an item ball on the kitchen floor!"

Motivated by avarice, Manny shook off Mint and dashed into the kitchen. He lunged onto the item ball, which was really a fake Pokéball used as storage. It held a Rare Candy!

"MINE!" Manny yelled, scrambling for the door.

"GLITCH, KILL!" Hanny ordered. Manny was blown backwards off his feet by a Tri-Attack aimed at the kitchen doorway ahead of him. Now covered in cement dust, he groaned, ears ringing. Glitch retrieved the Rare Candy for Hanny.

"QUERY: IS THIS FOR ME, MASTER?"

"Pfffft! This is for _me_, Glitch."

Hannah stuffed the blue wrapper into her pocket, broke off a piece of the candy with her teeth and started crunching.

"NOOOO!" Manny cried, one hand reaching towards her in futility.

"STATEMENT: MASTER, I APPROVE. HIS AGONY IS DELICIOUS."

"As is victory," she agreed, returning her minion to his Pokéball. "Wow, this tastes incredible. It's like crystallised sunlight! Too bad you can't have any."

"I just wanted Vaporeon to gain one level," Manny moaned, rolling over on the floor. He started to sneeze again, so he thought better of it and found his feet. Meanwhile, Mint exited the far eastern door of the dining hall.

"There's some old storage room back there, probably used to be a pantry. I found this HUGE pearl in there!" he said, holding up his prize. The pearlescent treasure was almost the size of his hand!

"Well, I got Rare Candy," Hanny said, biting off another chunk of the crystallised ambrosia.

Mint's face fell. "I'll trade ya!"

"No way!"

"Awwww!"

"Gaaaaaaastly!"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Mint shrieked, hiding under the dining table. Behind him, the Gastly snicked and drifted off elsewhere.

Leaving the hall, they again ascended the stairs, searching the western room on the second floor. There were more bookshelves here along with a few worn-out chairs. Hannah pounced upon the lone item ball when she found it.

"AHA! More candy!" Hannah squealed with delight. She held up the rectangular block of hard candy. "This one is dark purple, though. It smells like a berry, but I can't tell which." She broke off a piece with her teeth. "Wow, oh yeah, this was definitely made with berries. All sorts of berries! I'm tasting Bluk, Yache, Apicot…"

"Hanny! You could at least share!" Manny whined.

"Finders, keepers!"

"You STOLE the Rare Candy from me!"

"If you can't protect your property, you forfeit your right to own it."

"That… that's anarchy!"

"Archery?" Mint asked.

"No! She's breaking the law!"

"So are we," Mint reminded him. "We're trespassing, not to mention stealing. Glitch blew up a doorway, so that would be destruction of property, too. We broke three laws in less than ten minutes!"

Manny blinked. "Oh. Well, uh, never mind."

The eastern room on the second floor just had rows of bookshelves.

Mint picked up an old notebook on the floor, trying to read the faded handwriting: "Something so peculiar should make off with the moth… the moth?" he frowned, passing the notebook to his friends. They couldn't make heads or tails of it, so Mint dropped it where he had found it.

The Dowsing Machine could not find anymore hidden items, so the three Trainers met outside.

"I wanted to find a Rotom!" Manny grumbled.

"Look on the bright side of life, Manny! We got some sweet loot!" Mint clapped him on the back, holding his huge pearl up to the sunlight. The sun glowed through the pearl, warming it in his hand.

"_You two_ got sweet loot. I just got blown up and robbed!" he corrected Mint, beating cement dust off his clothing and hair.

"The big, scary ghosts don't come out during the day. You have to wait until nighttime to see any," Hannah said.

Thus the Trainers agreed to spend the remainder of their day at Pastoria City's Great Marsh. What with the Galactic Bomb and chasing after Team Galactic, none of them had had a chance to explore the place before.


	31. Chapter 31: Great Marsh, Chateau night

After paying five hundred Pokédollars per person to the clerk, they each collected their thirty Safari Pokéballs before venturing into the Great Marsh. They had a half-hour time limit. The Marsh consisted of six areas stretching northward, all connected by a tramline. The first thing the Trainers did was flail their arms at the stinging mosquitoes that hung over the marsh in an oppressive cloud.

"I'm going to be eaten alive!" Hannah cried.

"This Marsh is too close to nature!" Manny yelled, running back and forth while Mint capered in dismay.

"I'll try Repel!" Hanny said.

"But we're trying to catch rare Pokémon here!" Manny objected.

"I DON'T CARE!" she declared, spraying the Repel all over her body. She continued flailing. "IT'S NOT WORKING!"

"I'm going back inside!" Manny announced, but a stranger's voice interrupted his retreat.

"Hi there, would you care to buy some mosquito repellant for one hundred Pokédollars?"

The trio ran to the makeshift kiosk nearby. In their distress, they had not noticed it before. The proprietor grinned at them, protected as he was by his product. He was a short, thin person, with dark brown, very smooth skin, with hardly a wrinkle to be seen. Wriggling like mad Caterpie, the Trainers slapped bills onto the counter, receiving three large plastic tubes in return.

"It's waterproof, sweatproof, hypoallergenic, PABA-free, non-comedogenic, fast-absorbing, has no shiny finish and leaves no oily or greasy residue. It goes on fresh and stays on all day, leaving your skin soft and smooth. It also has a SPF of 100," he informed them.

"I don't understand half of what you just said, but thanks," Mint sighed with relief as he and his friends slathered the green-white cream all over their exposed head, neck and arms. The repellant smelt faintly of grass and flowers.

"This feels wonderful! If it does everything you say then why don't you sell it commercially?" Hannah asked.

"I don't want to. Run along, children!"

They obliged. The Marsh lay before them; an expanse of watery, muddy swampland that was completely uninviting and smelly. The first thing Mint did was get stuck in the mud. He struggled, popping out.

"I lost my shoes!" he realised, squelching about in the muck. He bent over, trying to dig out his footwear, but lost balance and fell over with a wet splat. "I'm sinking!"

Hannah grabbed his backpack, yanking him out of the mire. He now looked and smelt like his fetid surroundings.

"Aw man, I liked those shoes! I've worn them since we started our adventure together!"

"You think you've got problems!" Manny shot back, his voice high-pitched with alarm. "I just rested my backpack on a rock, and it sank into the mud along with the rock! HELP ME GET IT BACK, YOU GUYS!"

He summoned Torterra and Vaporeon. Torterra immediately began sinking into the mud.

"Tor!" the huge Pokémon cried out in horror. "Terra!"

"Por!" Vaporeon yelped in panic, biting down on Torterra's thick shell, trying to pull him out. All the water Pokémon managed to do was chomp a mouthful of dirt and rock off of the shell. He spat it out, jumping up and down in anguish at seeing his friend sink. "Va-POR-e-ON!"

"Vaporeon, freeze the mud with Ice Beam!"

One concentrated arctic blast later, Torterra was frozen solid and unconscious, but alive. Manny covered his face with both hands, overcome by his impressive failure.

"Why the heck did you put your bag on a rock?" Hannah asked with both hands in the air for emphasis.

"I wanted to take out my fishing rod."

"You'll just be fishing out a popsicle this time," Mint snickered. Manny bopped him on the head, but regretted it, as his fist was now covered in slime. Snickering even more, Mint tossed a Pokéball. "Infernape, you're strong enough to dig out Torterra. Help us!"

The fire Pokémon burrowed at a fantastic rate around Torterra. It then burrowed below, heaving the seven-hundred-pound turtle onto the bank in one go.

"Wow, your Infernape made that look easy!"

Mint flexed both arms. "Infernape can take down your Torterra any day of the week."

"Infer!" his Pokémon called out, tossing a large ball of muck onto the bank beside the frozen Torterra. Manny cried out with joy.

"My backpack!"

He scraped frozen mud off of it, hugging it like a long-lost pet. Infernape leaped out of the hole, covered in cold stinky grime, but not caring in the least. He was, after all, Mint's Pokémon.

"Uh, Manny? Aren't you forgetting something?" Mint reminded him.

"Buh? OH! Torterra, Vaporeon, return!"

"I meant you forgot to say 'Thank you'."

"Thank you, Mint. Thanks, Infernape!"

"Nape!" the monkey gave a thumbs-up before returning to his Pokéball.

Manny kept his dirty backpack firmly strapped on for the remainder of their adventure in the Great Marsh. Hannah and Mint each caught a Tangela, Yanma, Barboach, Whiscash, Skorupi, Croagunk and Carnivine. Manny caught a rare Tropius.

"Yay! A Pokémon that can learn HM Cut, Fly, AND Defog! Between this and my Bibarel, I now have access to all eight HM moves!"

"Congratulations. Meanwhile, my team of six Pokémon knows all eight moves among them, and I don't have to lug around two extras," Hannah said.

"Teaching them too many moves is wrong! They should only learn four each!"

"What do you think this is; a video game? Pokémon can learn as many moves as they like! Orric can use Cut, Strength, Rock Smash, Rock Climb, Earthquake, Stone Edge, Razor Leaf, Swords Dance AND Flash! Specialisation is for non-Pokémon insects!"

Manny was nonplussed. "How does Orric perform Flash?"

Hanny performed a clap burst with jazz hands. "Magic."

Soon after, Hannah caught a Wooper.

The tiny blue-skinned water Pokémon looked up at Hanny with its beady little black eyes. It cocked its oversized head to one side. "Woooo-PAH!" it exclaimed with a very wide smile.

Hanny let out an almost supersonic shrill of joy.

"IT'S SO _CUTE!_ IF MY PARTY WASN'T ALREADY FULL UP I WOULD USE YOU _RIGHT NOW! _DID YOU HEAR THE SOUND IT JUST MADE?!"

She babbled like that for a few minutes, hopping around her new Wooper, inspecting him from every possible angle.

"LOOKIT THE LIDDLE _TAIL_!" she shrieked, hugging it.

"Wooooooo-PAH!"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Your name is YIPPY!"

Manny and Mint covered their ears. While Hannah made a fuss over Yippy each and every step of their exploration, Manny and Mint discussed the insanity of their female companion.

"Is she bipolar?"

"Naw, Manny, she just loves Pokémon. _Cute_ Pokémon. Violently."

The time limit bell rang, forcing the Trainers to retire. Mint had to fly back home to get new shoes, so Manny and Hanny took turns showering at the local Pokémon Centre before flying back to Eterna City. Hanny would not leave Yippy in his Pokéball, and cuddled him in her arms, even when flying on Wise Shitashi.

"Wooo-PAH!"

"SO _CUUUUUUUUUUUTE!_"

888

Under the gathering gloom of Eterna Forest, the Chateau appeared far more sinister at night. The moonlit shadows made the building look like an ancient horror ready to devour the children. Manny and Hanny met Mint waiting for them. He was clean and sported shoes that looked just like the ones the Marsh ate.

"Do you have a closet full of identical clothes?" Hanny asked him.

"Manny and I do. Don't you?"

"No, I'm normal. Try not to squeal like a Spoink at all the ghosts inside."

Mint shivered. "Ugh."

Manny flexed his arms. "Nothing can faze me after what I went through with Giratina."

Filled with bravado, Manny entered the rickety old mansion, leaving the front doors swinging in the breeze.

"Man, it is dark in here. I think I'll summon Rapidash. How about you, Hanny?"

There was no reply.

"Hanny…? Mint?"

No answer. The wind had stopped. No sound but his own breathing.

"Oh, I get it now. A ghost is doing this!"

Manny reached for his belt. Six spheres were missing. His shoulders felt lighter.

"Heh, wow. It's making me believe my Pokémon and backpack are gone. What next? Will it sneak up behind me and yell 'BOO!'?"

Instead, Manny felt the cold chill of death stroke his spine.

"Oooh! The classic chill running down my spine! This ghost is _good_!"

The boy then lost motor control and flopped onto the ground like a Slaking.

"Hahaha! They didn't mention this one in the cartoons! I can't even twitch my toes!"

The boy then lay there for the next few minutes musing at his 'horrible' predicament. When the minutes stretched on, he ceased being amused. When minutes became hours and moonlight filled the mansion, he began calling for help. In the back of his mind, he knew it was an illusion, but on the other hand, he needed to use the bathroom. His voice became sore and a little frantic after a fruitless hour of calling out, so he decided to fall asleep instead.

When he awoke, Manny was lying in a hospital bed, with sunlight filtering through the window slats. His mother was sitting next to him. The look on her face did not give him hope.

"Manny!"

He tried to roll over, but couldn't. He tried to lift, even wiggle a finger, but couldn't.

"Mom, is this real?"

"Manny, where are Mint and Hanny?"

"They went with me to the Chateau."

"Listen. Gardenia called me yesterday and told me when and where you were rude to her. You didn't answer your phone. I tried Hanny and Mint, but they didn't pick up, either. I went to the Chateau myself. I found you lying there alone. Your backpack and Pokéballs were missing. You didn't wake up when I smacked you, so here you are in Eterna hospital."

"I didn't get any calls from you yesterday. The ghost blocked wireless signals, kidnapped my friends AND took all my stuff? Where'd they go?"

"I don't know. Nobody knows. They're conducting a search."

"I don't think they'll find them until the ghost lets them go. That place is haunted, you know."

Manny tried to move again, but no signals were getting to his limbs.

"Why can't I move?"

"The doctors have no idea. They conducted an MRI scan earlier this morning, and nothing showed up abnormal."

"This is all an illusion."

"I'm sure it is. Cynthia's on the way to conduct a paranormal exam."

The Champion arrived with her grandma and Lucian in tow. They and their Pokémon, undisputed masters of the mind and the beyond, scanned Manny for a few hours. They got no results.

"It isn't any paralysis caused by Pokémon. Spiritomb doesn't detect other ghosts or a curse afflicting you. Alakazam can't find any external psychic influence on your mind or body. What happened in there?" Lucian asked.

"I walked through the Chateau door at night and fell over."

"I'm out of ideas. We'll get Giratina from your PC," Cynthia said.

"Thank you. If I had taken her in the first place, she would have protected me and my friends from the ghost."

Johanna stayed with Manny as he lay there on the hospital bed. He had to be fed by a nurse and use a bedpan, but that was okay; the legendary ghost dragon was sure to help him with this paranormal problem.

Johanna's phone rang. "Cynthia? Hold on."

She put her on speakerphone: _"Manny, we're logged in to the PC at the Pokémon Centre. Your storage system is empty - your Pokémon, emails, items - everything."_

"The heck is going on?!"

_"We wish we knew. We checked Mint and Hannah's storage systems - also empty. It's like they were erased from existence."_

"I can't believe the ghost did all that. Wait, I know what happened! The illusion isn't just me. This whole world is an illusion! You and Mom and this paralysis... none of it is real! I'm still dreaming!"

_"If that's true, I hope you wake up soon."_

Though he knew he was trapped in his mind, the illusion did not go away. One day, two days passed. Manny was becoming impatient with his inert body. He performed mighty struggles to break free of the illusion - or was it reality? - but it was useless. Days turned into a week, and doctors suggested that Manny be cared for at home.

He couldn't even play his _PS2_. He just lay in his room, day after day, while his mother tended to his biological needs. He became extremely frustrated, and spent his waking hours screaming at his empty room, and at his mother, who had done nothing to deserve his anger.

Then, his voice began to go. It was not just his sore throat. He could feel control of his voice slipping further and further away. Eventually, he was mute, and could only move his eyes. He had to be tube-fed. Then, his eyes stopped moving, and his mother had to close his eyelids lest they dried. He could still hear and feel everything when he was moved back to the hospital.

He heard doctors and nurses coming and going, felt them open an eye and shine a bright light that he could not cringe away from, felt various needles go into his flesh, heard as he was loaded into the big MRI machine.

Then came the most terrible thought of all: What if this was _not _an illusion? What if an evil ghost really had erased his friends?

He was no longer a Trainer or even a boy. He was a living corpse, worse than a zombie because his mind still worked perfectly. His mind screamed, but his mouth could not, would not. His mind writhed and contorted, but his hands and feet could not, would not. Every waking moment, his mind screamed until he was mentally exhausted, then slept. Every day, he heard his mother sobbing and touching his face, asking him to wake up. He dreamed of flying, only to awaken to his body-coffin and resume his silent howling.

After a few weeks of this, which to Manny were a few years, he one day heard a doctor suggest that they stop feeding him. He heard the resounding hand slap that, no doubt, came from his mother, but every fiber of his body strained to beg the doctor, _"Please kill me."_

888

With that fatal thought, Manny woke up in the Old Chateau. The first thing he did was fall down because he had, apparently, been standing. He then realised he had control over his bodily functions, and wept. He scraped the old floorboards with his fingernails, doubled over in the sweet agony of being mobile. It took him a good few minutes to recover from his bout of joyous blubbering. He rolled over and got to his feet. He had feet again! He had arms and hands again! He touched his own face for the first time in months. He then reached down, finding his Pokéballs fastened to his belt. His backpack hung from his shoulders. He was human again.

He shuddered, but not from the cold. Had that living nightmare all been an illusion? How much time had passed? He summoned Rapidash. By the bright firelight of her mane he saw two figures standing right beside him. He screamed and jumped, causing Rapidash to neigh with fright and rear up on her hindlegs.

"Hanny and Mint! You guys!"

He could not remember ever feeling so happy to see another person. He walked to Hannah. Like Mint, she was staring off into space. The moment Manny touched her, she collapsed onto the ground. When she opened her eyes, it was as though the soul behind them had disappeared. The first thing she did was lunge at Manny and embrace him in a deathgrip.

"You're real. You're real!"

"I can't breathe!"

"You're real!"

She began keening, and Manny joined her. He had a voice again! He had found Hanny! It was too much to bear after that months-long horror. When they calmed down, Hannah broke her vicegrip, but would not let go of his hand. She didn't bother to wipe her tears, and neither did he.

"What happened to you?" he asked. "I was paralysed for months, unable to move, speak or open my eyes!"

She was shaking violently but stammered out her words. "Everyone was gone! No humans, no Pokémon, not even regular animals and insects! Just plants! I wandered all over Sinnoh, from the Great Marsh to the peak of Mount Coronet. The towns and cities were there, but nobody in them, not even ghosts! I had all the food and water I could ever eat, but there was nothing, no-one to share it with!"

Hannah clung to him again. She was still shaking.

"I tried the Internet. Not one of the thousands of social networking sites had recorded a single user logging on or making a post. Not one. I must have pressed the F5 key a million times. I tried the radio and even Jubilife TV but only got static. I learned how to use one of the boats at Canalave City. I learned how to read coordinates and sailed west until I hit the mainland. There was no-one! I learned how to drive a car. The port was deserted; every town I drove to was deserted! _Everyone on the planet was _gone!"

She began sobbing again. Manny clung to her, reveling in the ability to exert any kind of force with his arms. He stroked her blonde hair while Rapidash whinnied and nosed the two humans, wondering what all the bawling was about.

"I'm so glad it wasn't real, Hanny. Let's see about Mint."

Mint reacted the same way Hannah had: he crumbled onto the ground before realising he was looking at two living, breathing humans. He hugged the life out of them. His nightmare was exactly the same as Hannah's: no humans, Pokémon or other moving creatures anywhere; just plants and empty cities. He had not gone further than Sinnoh, though.

"I just walked off the top of Spear Pillar," he confessed with a straight face, as though he had just said the most reasonable thing in the world.

Hannah nodded. "I jumped off a cliff. Clichéd, I know."

Manny sighed. "I heard a doctor recommend that they stop feeding me. I wanted to ask that doctor to kill me."

"I'd've done the same," Mint said.

"Me too. I couldn't take it anymore. I'm just a kid!" Hanny cried. "Why would anyone do this to us?"

"I am getting the heck out of here," Mint said, scrambling for the door. Manny, Hanny and Rapidash followed suit. They did not stop running until they were safely within Eterna City. People were still walking the streets at this hour, and the three children effused warmth and happiness at these complete strangers.

Hannah beamed at a middle-aged gentleman. "What's your name, sir? Francis? That is the best name in the whole world! Reach safely home, Francis!"

"Do you need help loading that truck, sir? I'd be delighted to help!" Manny said, then began hefting cardboard boxes with a stupid grin on his face.

"Your daughter or son will become a beautiful lady or handsome man!" Mint told a couple who were pushing their baby in a pram.

The three Trainers spent the next hour complimenting and helping anyone they could find while Rapidash grazed under a tree. When they were spent, the Trainers retrieved Rapidash and settled in for the best sleep of their lives at the Pokémon Centre.

888

The next morning, the three Trainers each had the best shower of their lives. They then proceeded to have the best breakfast they had ever eaten. They laughed and chatted with the other Trainers and even the staff members, creating a joyous atmosphere. A few of the people they had met the night before passed through the Pokémon Centre and remarked at how lively and happy the three children were.

Later that morning, the Trainers bade farewell to their new friends and flew to Sunyshore City. As they crested the clouds, they spoke loudly above the rushing wind.

"It feels good to fly again," Manny said. He didn't care that he was crying like a baby. "Up! Up and away!"

"Everything feels good, even the sunlight," Hannah said. Mint just cried 'Wheeee!' and did a barrel roll with Togekiss. When the Trainers landed in Sunyshore, they headed for the Gym and asked to see Volkner. The Gym Leader met them outside.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

"Can we see your Rotom, please?" Manny asked.

"Manny, I told you I wouldn't make it easy for you! You have to see one for yourself at the Old Chateau!"

As though of a singular mind, the three Trainers began to smile at Volkner. They were not pleasant smiles. His flesh crawled.

"Volkner, unless you summon your Rotom right here, right now, we will burn down your Gym," Manny said in the sweetest voice.

"We will burn down the entire city of Sunyshore," Hanny said with a mellifluous voice.

"Then, we'll begin burning down the towns and cities, one by one, until you show us your Rotom," Mint said with honeyed words.

Volkner swallowed the lump in his throat. The children were still smiling at him. They were the most beautiful, serene smiles that had ever graced human faces.

"R-Rotom, I choose you."

The three children opened their Pokédexes, recorded the tiny electric ghost, then walked off without a word.

"D-do you have any idea why those kids seemed almost _eager_ to incinerate everything I know and love?" Volkner asked his small friend.

Rotom shrugged its little lightning-bolt wings, nonplussed.


	32. Chapter 32: National Pokédex

Landing in Twinleaf Town, Manny and Mint ran to their respective houses to embrace their mothers and repeat over and over again how much they missed and loved them. Hannah called her parents's phones a few times but just got voicemail on each. The boys met her at the outskirts of town.

"I wish I could just Fly or Surf to the Resort Area, but the Battle Frontier has antiaircraft artillery and naval mines surrounding it, keeping out anyone who does not possess the National Pokédex."

"Don't be silly, Hanny," Manny scoffed. "They can't stop anyone from flying or swimming there to meet their parents."

"Have you ever heard of tourists visiting the Battle Frontier?"

"No, but…"

"Have you heard anyone on the Internet, television or radio say, 'I was born at the Battle Frontier's hospital'?"

"Not even in person, no."

"They don't allow plebeians there, ever. Even the _servants_ own National 'dexes. When my Mom got pregnant, my parents had to move back to Solaceon to give birth to me."

"That's, uh, harsh."

"It's necessary," Mint interrupted them. "The _wildlife_ over there is more powerful than most Gym Trainers. Regular people wouldn't survive one minute in the tall grass."

Manny cocked an eyebrow. "Would you care to explain _why_ the wildlife is that scary?"

Mint gave Hannah a knowing look. They gave Manny a conspiratorial smile.

"You'll see," they chorused.

"Ugh."

Manny rolled his eyes. He summoned Keira, then flew to Sandgem Town.

888

In Sandgem Town, Dawn was sitting outside Professor Rowan's laboratory, reading a Pokémon Breeder magazine. She looked up as a Staraptor landed before her, giving her a familiar chirp.

"Keira! There is a Manny on your back!"

He waved to her while returning Keira. "Hi, Dawn! Congratulations on winning the Ultra Rank Beauty contest! My Mom says you're one of her best students!"

"Congratulations on becoming League Champion! I thought you were just some guy who hung out with Hanny, but you surprised me!"

Manny felt his ears burning. "Heh. Is the Professor in?"

"Yup! He's waiting for you. Better hurry!"

"Thanks!"

Inside the lab, Manny waved to Dawn's parents while walking towards Rowan's desk. The Professor was busy playing _Bejeweled 2_ on his computer.

"Good morning, Manny. These online games are devilishly addictive. I spent the last six months playing _Plants versus Zombies_."

"I spent the last few months on an adventure, and here is the fruit I bore."

Manny placed his Pokédex on Rowan's desk with a triumphant flourish. The man clapped his hands with delight as he read the display.

"All 210 Sinnoh Pokémon seen! Well done, Manny!"

"Thank you, sir."

"I'm sure your friends have accomplished the same. There they are now!"

Hanny and Mint swaggered into the lab, also placing their Pokédexes for the Professor to see.

"Three young prodigies! Most Trainers pick a spot somewhere in Sinnoh and ambush whoever walks by, but you three chose to challenge the entire region! I am honoured to have given you your Pokédexes."

They heard someone clearing their throat.

"Good morning, all."

Everyone in the lab turned to see the figure standing in the doorway: none other than the Pokémon Authority, Professor Oak! He stood there, holding a thick difficult-looking book in his left hand, his right hand held rigid behind his back. The old man's austere expression commanded everyone's attention.

"This morning, I recorded three Trainers simultaneously documenting their 210th Sinnoh Pokémon. I flew here right away. It's good to see you again, Rowan."

"Oak! You haven't slowed down a bit in your old age."

Oak offered an ironic smile.

"Neither have you. I brought you this."

He revealed his right hand, which was holding a brown paper bag. Rowan lunged forward, snatching it and almost tearing it open in glee.

"COOKIES! Did Delia make them?"

"Would I insult you with another woman's baking?"

"YEEEEEEEEAH!" Rowan cheered, then began scarfing down the morsels at an alarming rate.

Professor Oak regarded Rowan's young assistants.

"Manny, let me see your Pokédex."

Without bothering to ask how the man knew his name, the boy complied. As the device rested on Oak's hand, it emitted a small beep followed by a pleasant female voice.

_"Good morning, Professor Oak."_

"Good morning, Manny's Pokédex. Has he treated you well?"

_"He is a ten-year-old boy, sir. I have been as muddy, wet, scorched by the sun and bumped around as he."_

"That's why I made sure you are almost indestructible. Please unlock the National Mode Pokédex."

_"Yes, Professor."_

The 'dex emitted another small beep as Oak returned the device to its owner, who was flabbergasted.

"It can _TALK?_" the boy sputtered.

"All the latest models are capable of conversation. Didn't Rowan tell you?"

Rowan laughed, chocolate chips stuck to his teeth.

"I thought the kids would figure it out, or read it online."

"Never bothered to check," Hannah admitted. "I was more interested in new episodes of _The Daily Show _and my LiveJournal communities."

"Pokédex, how old is Professor Oak?" Mint demanded of his own Pokédex.

_"That's none of your business, little boy,"_ it responded. Mint jumped up and down.

"I would have talked to this thing FOREVER if I had known!"

"Thank goodness you _didn't_ know," Manny said with profound gratitude, though dreading the days to come when Mint would be yapping nonstop at the thing. Professor Oak cleared his throat again.

"Hannah, hand me your Pokédex."

"Sure thing."

Her Pokédex's response was the same to Professor Oak's touch. 

"Has she treated others well?"

_"She treats others with disdain, but has shown kindness to a select few… emphasis on 'few'."_

Hanny snickered. "It even does sarcasm."

"As expected of a reluctant adventurer. Upgrade to the National 'dex, please."

_"Yes, sir."_

"How'd you know I was reluctant?" Hannah demanded of the Professor.

"I know everything I wish to know, Hanny. May I assume that you are no longer reluctant?"

"You may."

"Excellent. Mint, allow me to read yours."

_"Professor, this boy is so hyperactive that I fear for my molecular integrity."_

"You'll be fine, Mint's Pokédex, unless he drops you in lava. Has the boy treated his Pokémon well?"

_"There are few Trainers in this world who love their Pokémon as much as he."_

Oak blinked.

"Am I one of those Trainers?"

_"Naturally, Professor; you are the standard by which all others are judged."_

"Oh yes, I did program you that way."

_"I have unlocked National Mode."_

Oak let out a sharp cry.

"I did not order you to!"

_"You were about to, sir."_

Oak shook his head, returning Mint's 'dex.

"I swear, if it turns out that I created _Skynet_, I'm going to retire to my nuclear bunker and deny all involvement in the programming."

Manny smiled, shaking his hand.

"Thanks, Professor."

Mint and Hannah did the same.

"What? Is no-one here going to say how much they admire me or my work?" the Professor said in mock dismay.

Mint chortled. "I think your talking 'dexes covered that already."

Meanwhile, Professor Rowan washed his hands and face. He then handed each young Trainer a small, white, rectangular metal device that had radar lines imprinted on its LCD screen.

"The Poké Radar! Now you'll be able to locate Pokémon in tall grass _without_ having to run around looking for them!"

Hannah's jaw dropped. She grabbed Rowan's labcoat sleeve.

"Does it work in caves?"

"I don't see why not…"

"MANNY! Do you know what this means?"

"NO MORE RANDOM ENCOUNTERS!" the boy yelled in delirium.

"NO MORE STINKY REPEL SPRAY!" Hannah yelled back. They proceeded to hold hands and perform the happy dance.

Oak cleared his throat. "On that note, I'm leaving to see about the PAL Park on Route 221."

"Thank you for the cookies, Oak. Send my compliments to Delia!"

"You have a computer; call her yourself!" Oak shot back. He lifted his right hand once in farewell before walking outside.

888

The boys flew north-northeast to Snowpoint City while Hannah lingered in Sandgem to reunite with her classmates.

"Wonder what it's like to have classmates?" Mint wondered aloud to Manny as they shivered by the docks.

"I socialised with instant messaging and various Internet forums while I was growing up," Manny said. "My Mom never could figure out how I got around the safety filter."

"I hardly ever used the Internet. I always wanted to be outside and exploring, and here I am, in the coldest place in Sinnoh, waiting to embark on a new adventure!"

Hannah approached them, wearing her heavy winter gear. Her face was like a blank wall.

"Hey! You got here fast," Mint said.

"Let's go," Hannah said in a deadpan tone.

"How're your old school friends?" Manny asked.

"Fine. Let's go."

"Okay."

As the Trainers approached the ferry, a familiar voice halted them.

"Don't go yet!"

Cynthia herself ran up to them, wearing a stunning white, fleecy wintercoat and fleece-lined boots. Manny and Mint were convinced that Cynthia would look fabulous in a cardboard box.

"Manny, I wish to express the pride I feel, watching you standing there, about to enter a whole new world. I trust you, so I want you to meet my grandmother. If you decide to honour my request, I advise taking one of your friends with you."

"I will be instructed. Let's all go together!" Manny suggested. Hannah shook her head.

"Don't wanna. I'll go to the Frontier. Catch up with me."

"Oh, okay. Let's go, Mint! One last hurrah before we say goodbye to the mainland."

Hannah walked to the ferryman.

"One to board."

"Sorry, I only take League Champions."

Cynthia waved one slim, gloved hand, striding towards them.

"She's with me."

The ferryman saluted. He had stars in his eyes.

"Yes, Miss Cynthia! Right this way, little lady."

The Trainers departed by air and sea.

888

Hannah sat in the ferry's relatively warm cabin, staring out a porthole at the icy waters. Cynthia was attempting to initiate conversation.

"I haven't visited the Battle Frontier for some time, thanks to the machinations of Team Galactic. I look forward to visiting the Frontier Brains."

"I'm sure they'll be happy to see you, too."

"I detect bitterness in that statement, Hannah. Did something happen in Sandgem?"

Hannah was about to ask how Cynthia knew her whereabouts, but instead replied, "Not a thing."

"How are Professors Rowan and Oak?"

"Since you have been spying on me today, shouldn't you already know?" she snapped.

"Hannah, I do not _spy_. Rowan sent me an e-mail, _informing_ me that Oak visited just as he was rewarding you for recording all of Sinnoh's Pokémon. Good job, incidentally."

"Stop, you're making me blush," Hannah droned, watching the roving waves. Cynthia narrowed her platinum eyes.

"Very well, Hannah. I can play this game, too. How have the boys treated you?"

"With respect born out of fear."

"Your friends back in Sandgem?"

"Indifference," she said, her voice becoming a growl.

"Aha! I hit a sore spot. How about your parents?"

"Cynthia, get out of my life!" Hannah yelled, hurling herself through the cabin door before realising that the ferry had not docked yet and there was nowhere to run.

"Tell me about your parents, Hannah."

Hanny leaped onto the side of the cabin, climbing the ladder to the upper deck. Cynthia was not far behind.

"I don't wanna talk about it!" Hannah protested, climbing the rungs to the crow's nest.

"I do!" the woman responded, her hands matching the progress of Hanny's heels.

"Why?"

"You're my precious friend."

Hanny paused a moment before climbing the rest of the way. There was a sailor at the top and, as there was not enough room for the three of them, Hannah shoved him. Cynthia reached the top just as the hapless man hit the water. She looked around, perplexed.

"I just heard a man cry out."

"That's your imagination."

"Hannah," Cynthia said, grasping the girl's mittens in her gloves, "Please tell me what happened in Sandgem."

Hanny found it difficult to meet the woman's eyes, so she stared at her snowboots while the ferry turned around to retrieve the man overboard.

"I tried to catch up with my friends in school; y'know, find out how life was since I left. They had… moved on, made other friends and stuff. Some of them didn't even remember my name."

"And your parents?"

Hannah took a deep breath.

"Didn't answer my calls. I have no-one left."

Cynthia did not admonish the girl. She did not tell her that adventurers were often forgotten by friends and family alike. She did not offer advice, or even comfort her with words. She just hugged her. After a moment, Hanny hugged back. For a moment, her voice lost its hard, bitter edge.

"Thanks," she murmured into the wintercoat.

The woman's voice was warm and sincere. "You're welcome."


	33. Chapter 33: Fight Area

Several hours later, the boys arrived at the Battle Frontier. To the northeast, behind the imposing Battle Tower, a volcano belched a steady stream of black smoke. The weather was warm, so the boys loosened their scarves. All around them were tropical plants, berry patches and elite Trainers.

"Mint, how is it physically possible for it to be warmer here when we're at the same latitude as Snowpoint?"

"The volcano keeps the place warm!"

"An inactive volcano can't change weather patterns!"

"Maybe we went beyond the North Pole and are now near the Equator!"

"Mint, are you even aware what 'latitude' means?"

"Nope!"

Neither Hannah nor Cynthia was there to welcome them. All phonecalls went straight to Hannah's voicemail.

"Why are women so inaccessible when they run off with their friends?" Manny asked Mint.

"I dunno, but we're used to it. Since we were about three years old, our Moms went out for days at a time, leaving us with a neighbor who continued homeschooling us."

Manny frowned, remembering.

"They never talked about where they went, but they always dressed up really fancy, and came home really tired, wearing different clothes."

Mint laughed.

"You don't expect them to wear the same clothes all the time, do you?"

"Why not?" Manny snorted. "I haven't changed clothes since we started this adventure."

"At least you wash them. I forget, sometimes."

"Ewwww! I did NOT need to know that. I'm going to require at _least_ three feet of personal space, now."

Mint blinked.

"Why are Flint and Volkner standing over there?"

The boys jogged over to the Battle Frontier entrance. Both men wore insufferable grins.

"You're not getting past us without a fight," Volkner informed them.

"But I wanna see my Daddy!"

"Your Daddy's real busy right now. Maybe you can pass the time with a battle," Flint hinted in a not-so-subtle manner.

Mint summoned Infernape.

"Manny!"

"What?"

"It's a double battle!"

"We shouldn't have to fight these guys to gain access to a public area!"

"It's not polite to refuse a battle!"

Manny rolled his eyes, summoning Torterra.

"The things I do for basic human rights!"

The men brought their Pokémon to the field.

"Luxray, Ice Fang on Torterra!"

"Houndoom, Flamethrower on Torterra!"

"Infernape, Brick Break on Houndoom!

"Torterra, Earthquake!"

"WHAT?" Mint shouted, but it was too late. Infernape socked Houndoom in the jaw, knocking him out, while Luxray gnawed Torterra's head with frozen fangs. The giant turtle stomped the earth, causing the two other Pokémon to faint.

"MANNY!"

"What?"

"We're supposed to be a TEAM!"

"It worked, didn't it?"

Flint summoned Flareon; Volkner, Jolteon; and Mint, Garchomp.

"Flareon, Overheat on Torterra!"

"Jolteon, Pin Missile on Torterra!"

"WHY ARE YOU JERKS GANGING UP ON ME? Torterra, use Earthquake again!"

"Garchomp, Earthquake also!"

The Eveelutions were far too swift for either boy's Pokémon: they KO'd Torterra before Garchomp KO'd them.

"Electivire, get ready for battle! Use Giga Impact on Garchomp!"

"Magmortar, come on down! Blast Garchomp with your Hyper Beam!"

Mint's Garchomp was smashed, then blasted out of commission.

"Torterra, return! Alakazam, go! Use Psychic on Electivire!" Manny commanded.

"Espeon, help us out! Attack Electivire with your own Psychic!"

Thus, Volkner was knocked out of the battle. Magmortar was still recharging, so the Psychic Pokémon had plenty of time to defeat it with another round of Psychic.

"Excellent battle, boys," Volkner praised them. Mint summoned Elekid, who was wearing the 'Exp Share' harness.

"Guys! Lookit this!"

The three other Trainers shielded their eyes as Elekid burst with evolutionary energy.

"Yay!" Mint laughed as he glomped his new Electabuzz.

"Buuuuuuzz!" the much larger Pokémon cried.

"I thought you hated that harness?" Manny asked.

"I got impatient. Togepi took forever to evolve!"

"No he didn't!"

"Look, Manny, I'm not getting any younger! Now, Electabuzz, hold this car battery. Manny, let's do this!"

Manny handed over Keira while Mint returned Electabuzz to his ball for trading purposes. They waited a moment, returned each other's Pokéball, then Mint summoned Electabuzz, who sunburst into Electivire.

_"Electivire,"_ Mint's Pokédex narrated. _"Heedless of enemy attacks, it closes in, shoves its tails onto the foe, then looses high voltage."_

"When we touch, when we kiss," Volkner sang. Flint facepalmed.

"Sounds perfect for you," Manny said with a nod.

Mint gave a satisfied thumbs-up.

"Welcome to the team, Electivire! You're still just a baby, but you'll grow up real quick!"

"VIE-ERR!" the large black-and-yellow striped electric Pokémon boomed, flexing freakish musculature that no baby should have.

Flint clapped the boy on the back. "Well done, Mint! Few Trainers can handle an Electivire, much less raise one for battle!"

"I'll manage," Mint assured him, clambering onto Electivire for a piggyback ride. The six-foot-tall Pokémon supported his Trainer's weight easily, so they bounded towards the Pokémon Centre to revive the rest of their team.

Volkner snickered, remembering his own childhood among electric types.

"Manny, you better rest your team, too. You have no idea what awaits you beyond these gates."

"Crazy people who dress in funny costumes?"

Volkner snapped his fingers. "Hey! You got it right the first time. See you later, then!"

"Bye, Volkner! Bye, Flint!"

Minutes later, the boys and their teams were fresh and eager for the challenge of the Battle Frontier. They were racing inside the entrance when…

_THUD!_

"Ow!" Mint hollered. "Watch where yer going!"

"Son?"

Mint and Manny looked up. It was a taller, older version of Mint, complete with spiky blonde hair, bright, piercing brown eyes and a ready grin. The man was wearing a forest green jacket with large gold buttons.

Manny bowed at the hip. "Tower Tycoon Palmer."

"Pfah! Stand straight, boy. How's your mother?"

"She won the Master Rank Beauty contest and is now training other Pokémon breeders."

"Brilliant! Mint, stop gaping at me like a Magikarp. Use your words!"

"D-DADDY!"

Mint hugged the breath out of Palmer.

"I missed you, Daddy!"

"This is the first time you've been here, son, good job! If you bring your mother with you next time, I won't have to travel all the way to Twinleaf, anymore!"

"Don't be silly, Daddy, Mom can't come here. Only reason I got onto the ferry is because I know Manny."

"Ah yes, the new Champion. How does it feel to have the world in the palm of your hand, boy?"

"The world gives me gas."

"Hah! What a smartmouth! I challenge both of you to defeat me at the top of my Battle Tower. Don't make me wait!"

With that, Palmer broke his son's deathgrip and zoomed back to his beloved edifice. Mint stood there a moment, watching his father run off. The Tower's shadow did not dim the lights in his eyes.

"Y'know, Manny, I rushed so quickly to get here, that now I dunno what to do! I wanna defeat my Dad, that's for sure, but there's the Survival Area, Resort Area, and Stark Mountain!"

Mint shook his head, laughing a bit.

"No need to rush anymore. Gonna stop and smell the berries along the way."

Manny looked around him. The universe had _not_ imploded. He felt the need to orate, lifting his hands to address the sky above.

"Know, ye cosmos, that on this day, upon planet Earth, the boy Mint went against his own nature, and lo! The Earth orbits merrily!"


	34. Chapter 34: Survival Area

The boys decided to look for Hanny before heading to the Survival Area. They had been a team for so long, it did not occur to them to ditch her. This decision set up Manny for a great deal of headache and heartache, however.

"You fought WHO?"

They had found Hannah lounging in the lobby of the Battle Tower with Riley. Manny was being far too loud.

"Lance and Palmer," Riley repeated Hannah's words. "We beat them in a double battle on the twenty-first floor."

"WHERE IS HE?"

Riley winced.

"He left for Johto; said something about taking his red Gyarados for a swim."

"AAAAAAAAAAH!" Manny held his head, falling to his knees, causing everyone else in the lobby to either look away or take a few steps back.

"Manny's been trying to get his autograph since he was four years old," Mint explained. "When Manny was six, Lance was invited to a Jubilife TV interview. When his Mom refused to take him to see Lance, Manny ran away from home and trekked all the way to Jubilife City, only to find out that Lance had already finished the interview and left."

"I had to watch it on _YouTube_," Manny said in misery, "after I was grounded for two weeks."

Hannah cleared her throat.

"By the way, Manny, we fought your Dad and Palmer on the 49th floor. Your Dad is a jerk."

Mint and Manny snapped their heads toward Hanny so quickly they almost suffered whiplash.

"Did you beat him?" Manny asked.

"No. He used an Umbreon and a Scizor. Not only did they trash us, he gave them dumb nicknames from some anime I've never watched."

Mint cocked an eyebrow. "Why do you say he's a jerk?"

"He uses… clichéd catchphrases. They're extremely annoying," Riley said with a facial twinge.

"I don't get it," Manny said, still kneeling on the floor, still holding his head. "The two men I have wanted to meet all my life, and you guys met him on the same day. Did you at least take photos of them?"

"No, Riley and I were too busy doing a victory dance after beating Lance and Palmer, and your Dad is such a colossal, unremittent jerk that Riley and I just stormed off in disgust while he laughed at us."

Manny keeled over, forehead touching the ground.

"Why can't I ever get the things I really want?"

"Winning the title of Champion not good enough for ya?" Riley scoffed. Hannah smacked the man on his shoulder.

"Don't be mean, Riley! You beat Cynthia, too."

"Yeah," Riley sighed, scratching his hairline in embarrassment. "She uses a Lucario because of me."

Mint picked Manny off the floor, forcing him to stand up.

"Hanny, is Manny's Dad still here?"

"Yeah, he hasn't left the Battle Tower. He doesn't associate with peasants, though."

"Manny, you can still meet your Dad! We just have to reach the 49th floor undefeated!"

"Knowing my luck, he'll leave after the 48th battle, and your Dad will team up with some yahoo off the street."

"What is your Dad's name, anyway?"

"I dunno; never bothered to ask Mom. She refers to my Dad as 'him' or 'he' in polite conversation."

"What about impolite?"

"'That bastard'."

"Ouch," Riley laughed. Manny looked at the guarded entrance to the second floor of the Tower.

"Do you think we can do it, Mint? Even though we haven't trained at the Survival Area, or Stark Mountain, do you think we can go see him?"

"No, you dumbdumb, we HAVE to train first! My Dad's not some pushover, even at the 21st floor!"

Manny stared at Mint. He then doubled over in laughter, hanging onto the boy's shoulder for support.

"You're right. My Dad's no pushover, either. Hanny, you wanna join us?"

"Sure, why not. Hey, before we go, what happened when you visited Cynthia's grandmother?"

The boys reached into their backpacks to show her two orbs: the one Manny held resembled a diamond the size of a tennis ball. When Riley examined it closer, he found that it was not diamond, but metallic; a gleaming metal that was not of this Earth.

"She calls this the 'Adamant Orb'. With it, I can summon Dialga at the Spear Pillar."

The one Mint held appeared to be a pearl; the largest pearl anyone had ever seen, similar in size to the Adamant Orb. While the latter orb was shiny, this orb possessed an ethereal inner glow. Hannah stared at it, transfixed.

"She said this is the 'Lustrous Orb'. It calls Palkia."

"This would look really good on my Lucario," Riley whispered, the Adamant Orb reflected in his wide eyes.

"Yippy would be four times more adorable if he carried this around," murmured Hannah, the Lustrous Orb glowing full in her face.

Manny and Mint repacked their orbs. The other Trainers blinked, straightening from their crouched positions. Hannah waved to her battle buddy.

"Seeya later, Riley!"

"Later, Hanny!"

They hugged. Mint and Manny's eyebrows rose. After breaking contact with Riley, Hanny left the Battle Tower with the boys. When safely outside, she hauled off and slapped both boys behind their heads for being rude.

"You act like you've never seen me hug someone!"

"That guy's old enough to be your Dad!" Manny hooted.

"I'm not interested in Riley!"

"You keep staring at him!" Mint accused her with pointed index finger, a finger she grabbed and bent backwards until he squealed and cried 'uncle'.

"If you say that nonsense around Riley, I will break your fingers for real, both of you!"

"Yes ma'am, I'm sure your parents would be proud," Manny said with a thumbs-up, before leaping away from Hannah's hands and running northward for his life.

888

The gauntlet of Trainers along Route 225 calmed Hannah down as she could not break either boy's thumbs while battling.

"Audrey," she asked, "how did you defeat the Elite Four with a Taillow, Farfetch'd and Pidgeot?"

"That was years ago!" Audrey laughed, handing over the prize money. "My team is out of practice."

"So that explains the rest of the Trainers here," Manny said upon his return from a double battle with Mint against a pair of Rangers. "One had a Donphan, and the other, a Zigzagoon and Skarmory."

"Must have been the biggest, baddest Donphan, Zigzagoon and Skarmory on the face of the planet," Mint said. "They must have been twenty feet tall and breathed fire."

Hannah snorted.

"Audrey is just kidding. There's no way this was her original team."

In response, Audrey accessed the League Hall of Fame on her Pokédex. Hannah stared at the solitary entry: one Taillow, one Farfetch'd and one Pidgeot.

"You hacked this."

"Do I _look_ like a hacker?"

Hannah smacked both hands on either side of her own head.

"There's just no way!"

"Nothing is impossible in the world of Pokémon. We have pint-sized gods floating around our world, who are even more powerful than their larger counterparts."

Hannah kept her silence. She was, after all, the Trainer who captured Uxie.

The rest of the route was uneventful. Manny cut down a shrubbery, behind which lay a Rare Candy. He told Hannah that he had just found a Full Restore, but Hannah knocked him over and stole the candy from him, saying that she could smell liars. She munched the candy in front of him while he cried, and did not share any with Mint, either. The most exciting thing that happened during the route was the discovery of an old woman's hut where the owner insisted they and their Pokémon rest for free. She served everyone strawberry soda on ice, much to Hanny's delight.

"Before Nurse Joy and her sisters monopolised the Pokémon Centre business, I was the Nurse in the Fight Area. We didn't have fancy machines, back then; just herbs and common sense!"

Thanking the woman for her hospitality, the kids continued north before turning eastward to the Survival Area. It was far smaller than most towns, simply consisting of three huts, a PokéMart and Pokémon Centre. One hut was atop a cliff: after Rock Climbing up there, they found a Move Tutor who accepted coloured Shards as payment. The southernmost hut's owner handed them TM42 (Façade) and the hut beside the Pokémon Centre was firmly locked against entry.

"Hey in there!" Manny banged on the door. "Let us in! We're not accustomed to people shutting us out of their homes! We demand your possessions!"

There was no response. Shrugging, they healed their teams at the Centre before proceeding eastward along Route 226. There, they Rock Climbed up and down a cliff, defeating a few Trainers before descending into the ocean. Manny Surfed on Vaporeon; Mint on Floatzel and Hannah on Minnie. Nobody asked how the tiny creature supported Hannah's weight. Her shoes did not even get wet! Manny faced off against Swimmer Lydia.

"Torterra, go!"

_Plunk. _Bubbles popped on the surface.

"Uh... Torterra, return! Keira, go!"

With Lydia and another Swimmer defeated, they had the freedom to explore the small island home where a man called 'The Meister' lived. He appeared to be a burly, bearded Hiker.

"_Guten tag_, little girl!" he boomed in a thick German accent. "I sense that you have a Lumineon! I really wanted a Finneon, but yours will do! Here, have this Magikarp."

He thrust a Pokéball into her hand, reaching for Minnie's Pokéball. Hannah sidestepped his grasping hands, dropping the proferred ball.

"You can't have Minnie in exchange for a dumb old Magikarp!"

"It is not dumb! It is German! _Everything_ made in Germany is of superior quality! Cars, achitecture, _ShamWows_…"

"Forget it! Minnie is my friend, and I don't trade away friends, unless it's these guys. I'll totally trade them for any Rare Candy you got."

"There's a Rare Candy hidden in the forest behind my house!"

Hannah, Manny and Mint smashed Meister's front door down. Hanny summoned Minnie but Manny and Mint had already plunged into the water, swimming madly for the shoreline thicket. There they both used the Dowsing Pokétch to locate the Candy and fell into fisticuffs over it. Mint emerged victorious, the unwrapped Candy clamped between his jaws while Manny struggled to free himself from the foot planted on the back of his head.

"You're not going to taste one if you keep our company," Hannah informed him, floating atop Minnie with Yippy in her arms.

"I'm going to ditch you guys one of these days, I swear," Manny griped.

Surfing to the western shore, they arrived at a crossroads: north, Route 227's Stark Mountain, and further east, Route 228 leading to the Resort Area.

"My parents are at the Resort Area. I have no intention of meeting them at this time. We head north," Hannah commanded.

"Our Pokémon are tired!"

"Suck it up, Mint; we have a bajillion potions and food items."

Thus the children trekked northward under the gathering gloom of an active volcano.


	35. Chapter 35: Stark Mountain, Galactic

The closer they got to the mountain, the more icky volcanic ash fell onto their clothes and in their hair. Manny was flailing in a most ineffectual manner.

"I can't get it out of my hair! It just gets worse!"

"Ash is sterile," Hannah informed him.

"I've had worse in my hair," Mint reminded him.

"I'm buying an umbrella," Manny grumbled.

The higher they climbed, the stronger the stink of sulphur became until the three of them were almost gagging on it. A boy around their age, with flaming orange and red hair tied back into a spiky ponytail, jogged up to the group. He wore black cargo pants and a red open-neck teeshirt with black flames licking around the hem. Even his eyes were a disturbing shade of orange and red.

"Yo, if it isn't Manny! Out training right away, are you?"

"Who are you and why do you know my name?"

"Oh! Sorry, my name's Buck. My brother's the Elite Four's Flint. Watched you fight him on TV," he said with an easy laugh.

"Carrot Top's bro, huh? It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. You're here to give me a mission, right?"

"How did you know?"

"It runs in your family."

"Hah! Flint loves bossing me around, too. Speaking of being bossy, I'd like you to patrol Stark Mountain for me. Deep inside the mountain is a special rock called the Magma Stone. I can't explain it, but it's really important; it keeps a Pokémon asleep."

"Which Pokémon?"

"I said I can't explain it! Lately, I've heard rumours about vandals in Stark Mountain. They say goons in space suits are causing trouble there. I'd help, but my Pokémon are low on Health Points so I'm off to the Centre."

With that convenient excuse, Buck ran southward. The three Trainers were left to skirt a number of magma pits on their way to the mountain's cave entrance.

"Oooooh," Mint said in a trance, eyes dilating. "Pretty fire."

"Mint, don't bend closer!" Manny yelled.

Mint's clothing then combusted.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" he wailed, rolling on the igneous rock.

"This is why I'm glad I carry a water type. Vaporeon, go!"

The sleek feline seadragon spat on Mint, extinguishing him before his skin noticed he was being immolated. Mint trudged on without a word.

"DISAPPOINTED STATEMENT," Glitch proclaimed from his Pokéball, "I WAS ENJOYING THE SHOW."

"So was I," whispered Hanny.

"What was that?" Manny asked.

She smiled. "Nothing."

Just inside the entrance, the kids spied two Galactic Grunts on the other end of the cave, talking just loud enough for the acoustics to carry their voices.

Quoth Grunt Number One, "This is it! Stark Mountain! Now we need to get deep inside. Let's do this!"

Quoth Grunt Number Two, "Yeah, but... Can that old guy really take over? Can he replace Master Cyrus?"

Quoth Grunt Number One, "Yeah, I hear you... That elder Charon is a Commander, but he can't replace Master Cyrus. Maybe this is a good time for me to be done with this Team Galactic thing..."

The Grunts traveled deeper into the mountain. Ensuring that their teams were battle-ready, the Trainers followed.

None less than Commander Mars met them. Flanking her were Commander Jupiter and old man Charon, along with the Grunts from before.

"Hey! You!" the redhead shouted, almost in tears. "Tell us where Master Cyrus went. Where were you after you disappeared at the Spear Pillar?"

The kids explained what happened. Mars did not believe them. She fought with Bronzong, Purugly and Golbat. Hannah defeated her easily. Jupiter gave a smug grin, running a hand through her violet hair.

"Mars, you really are weak. Pitifully so," she said in her older woman's purr. "You make me embarrassed to be a Commander like you."

While Mars attempted to stab Jupiter with her eyes, Jupiter fought with Bronzong, Golbat and Skuntank, so Mint took the heat (and awful smell) and won.

Though her rival was defeated, Mars only became morose. She sniffed, put hands to her eyes, then dropped them to her sides like a ragdoll. Her voice was much clearer and less whiny, now.

"I'm going to the Distortion World."

She lifted her head high, her spirit kindling behind watery eyes. Her voice became loud, but not in her accustomed tone of irritation. Rather, her words sang with passion!

"I'm going to find Cyrus! I'm quitting Team Galactic!"

It was Jupiter's turn to put hands to her eyes.

"Same," she said quietly. She turned up her nose at Charon. "So, old-timer, go ahead. Do what you want with Team Galactic."

"There you have it," Mars grinned. "We're going back to being ordinary girls. You can mop up whichever way you want."

She left. Jupiter gave a throaty giggle.

"Mars is anything _but _ordinary. Ah, is leaving on this journey the right thing to do?"

Despite her self-doubt, she followed the younger Mars.

Once the ladies had left, Charon sighed, gearing himself up for a good lecture.

"So impressionable and impetuous. What do they see in Cyrus? Immature, overthinking buffoon. He goes through the trouble of assembling Team Galactic for what?"

Hannah stuck out her head. "Cyrus is a virile older man. He stands around looking mysteriously angry all the time. They're _girls_. Do the math!"

Charon pretended he had not heard that. "Ultimately, he destroys his own creation for his ludicrous vision. It's no thanks to him that I have to struggle with the pieces."

He cast a meaningful, spiteful glance at the Grunts beside him.

"But that's fine. The young can live with their dreams. I prefer to remain firmly in reality, and for that, money is paramount. You there, children, I'm not dealing with you. After all, the other Galactic members who did all suffered the consequences. We'll be off to collect the Magma Stone. It's all for the money!"

"Awakening a sleeping monster usually ruins the economy, you nitwit," Manny warned him as he and his grunts walked off.

"OBJECTION: MASTER, COMMAND ME TO DESTROY HIM!"

"Hush, Glitch. No slaughtering the elderly."

"STATEMENT: I WOULD MERELY BE HASTENING THE INEVITABLE."

888

The kids followed him north through another exit. Buck approached them from behind.

"Hey, wait up! So, what's going on?"

They explained, so Buck joined them. Manny, Mint and Hannah took this opportunity to grind levels for ("train") their Pokémon.

"Why are there always double battles when we team up with a random Trainer?" Mint asked.

"Question not the cosmos," Manny replied, "nor Buck's ability to heal our entire party despite pleading his own team was low on health not fifteen minutes ago."

The mountain interior stank of sulphur worse than outside, thus they were forced to muffle their mouths and noses with their scarves. Buck was immune.

Dragon Tamer Drake was inside there, hanging out with Black Belt Jarrett. He was not some guy called Drake; he was Hoenn's Elite Four Drake, because some random Dragon Tamer calling himself Drake would just be dumb and a possible fanboy.

"Hello, children!"

He stood there in his entire ship captain's glory, resplendent in white captain's hat, shredded black captain's waistcoat and rugged black boots. Some theorised that his bare chest and epic grey moustache gave him his power.

Hannah greeted him. "What brings you to Sinnoh, Captain Drake?"

"Jarrett here moonlights as a tour guide. Stark Mountain and Mount Coronet are fascinating!"

"You're not here to see the legendary Pokémon?" Mint asked.

"I'm a Dragon Tamer, nothing more and nothing less! I'm content with my ship and my crew if I crave adventure. You kids, like Ash Ketchum, are more suited to contending with the gods!"

"That's funny, because all three of us have already caught…"

Manny and Hanny clamped their hands firmly over Mint's blabbering mouth.

Manny saluted. "It was a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Enjoy the rest of your sightseeing!" Hannah said, giving a thumbs-up before dragging Mint away with Manny's help.

"You IDIOT!" Manny growled in a fierce whisper. "You don't go telling people we caught legendaries, even if it's an Elite Four!"

"But Volkner…"

"Volkner needed inspiration! It's a need-to-know basis!" Hannah explained.

Manny's Bibarel HM slave pushed a boulder down a corridor so that they could access a stairway leading to an exit deeper into the mountain. At the final entrance, Buck paused.

"Team Galactic's inside, right? This is it! No fooling around!"

Charon was there, the Magma Stone behind him, his two goons at his side. There was a lighter-coloured rock among all the blackened igneous rocks, but nobody paid heed to it. The kids snuck up on the criminals, overhearing another one of Charon's boring lectures.

"Cyrus disappeared. Mars and Jupiter quit. Saturn said he would look after what remains of Team Galactic, but he won't join me. So foolish of him! So very foolish of the rest of them, throwing away Team Galactic! After all the effort we took as a team to make it grow... That power could have made us rich beyond imagination. But, enough of that. The Magma Stone will be mine."

As he snatched the artifact, the mountain trembled violently.

Buck ran forward.

"Hey you! Team Galactic! What's going on here?"

"He JUST SAID what's going on!" Manny said.

Charon smirked. "Chased me here, have you? I like seeing children try their best, but too bad for you - you're too late. With this Magma Stone I will let awaken the legendary Heatran! I will control the volcano's eruptions to extort money by the millions! Fear me, for I am Charon; the boss of the reborn Team Galactic!"

An unknown voice shouted, "Go, go, go!"

A Croagunk appeared out of nowhere, stealing the Magma Stone from Charon.

"No! The Magma Stone! What? What is going on?"

The unknown voice spoke again. "Excellent work, Croagunk!"

Looker threw off his fake boulder costume.

"Pah! Disguising myself as a boulder for stakeout was not easy!"

He ran to Charon.

"Now, old-timer, the International Police cordially requests your cooperation. I am sure you have much to tell us about the new Team Galactic. With Cyrus, Mars and Jupiter gone, you are all that is left."

The Grunts looked at each other, nodded, then broke into a dash for the exit.

Charon recovered from his initial shock. "Gah... What a mess... uh, International Police? What are you saying? I know nothing! A new Team Galactic? Extorting with Heatran? Merely the blathering of this harmless old man! All said in jest! Besides, among Team Galactic's Commanders, I was the most junior..."

"You can tell us all about it. We have plenty of time."

Charon backed away from the handcuffs. Looker wagged a finger.

"Oh, no, no. No resisting arrest. You can't win three-on-one, no? Okay, Officers, over here, if you will."

Two officers in blue uniforms entered the small cave. Looker arched his shoulders in triumph.

"He is an old man. This heat cannot be good for him. Quickly, take him somewhere cool. Yes, the cooler will do!"

Everyone, including Charon, groaned at that pun. Looker handcuffed Charon behind his back so that the Officers could lead him away between them. The detective then noticed the children.

"Manny, Hanny and Mint! And you, unfamiliar boy! I wish to say something. First, it is too hot! Let us exit this environment!"

Outside…

"Whew! The air outside, it is delicious, yes!"

He breathed deep, inhaling volcanic ash by the lungful, coughing.

"Now, you four. This is what they were after."

He rolled the Magma Stone between his fingers. It was an unremarkable thing. It did not even glow.

"I took it for security purposes, but will it awaken Heatran, causing an eruption?"

In response, Buck nabbed the stone.

"I'll return it."

Meanwhile, Looker talked to the children.

"After we parted at the Mount Coronet, I investigated their hideout. I uncovered Charon's plot, which led me to a stakeout of this place."

Mint raised his hand. "How'd you uncover the plot? Were the goons talking too loudly like they always do?"

"No, I followed him on _Twitter_. That Charon is now securely within our custody. It is safe to say the Team Galactic is a threat no longer."

Hanny cried out, "NO! DON'T SAY THAT!"

"Buh?"

Manny gesticulated with his arms. "Every time someone says a villainous organisation is a threat no longer, they ALWAYS come back with an EVEN WORSE threat!"

"...That being said, it looks like my work here is finally finished."

Buck returned, triumphant.

"Now the volcano won't erupt!"

Mint raised his other hand. "How do you know for sure?"

"Okay, it maybe probably won't erupt. But hey! You guys are amazing Trainers! Swing by my place later. It's in the Survival Area."

He ran off. Looker nodded.

"I, also, will take my leave. 'The more wonderful the meeting, the sadder the parting'. That is a quote I have heard many years ago in a foreign land. Its meaning... I understand it better, now. Farewell, my friends! Long may you cherish Pokémon!"

888

Returning to the Survival Area, the Trainers enter Buck's place, which was the house adjacent to the Pokemon Centre that was previously locked.

To their right, an old man behind the bar greeted them.

"I've heard about you from both Buck and Wake. Well, my young friends, you're always welcome here from now on! This is a private club for only Sinnoh's Gym Leaders, or those vouched for by those selfsame Gym Leaders. It's a place where the best seek to better themselves. Welcome to the Battleground!"

Buck passed them, saying he was off to the Battle Tower to see how high he could get. Fantina was sitting at a table.

"Oh? It is you? Are you not taking part in Contests? Since you are involving yourself in Contests, you should challenge me."

Manny accepted. Fantina clapped her hands.

"Never give up! Never surrender!"

Riley was sitting at the bar.

"Long time no see. Since you're here, I'd like to challenge you to a battle right now."

Hannah accepted. Riley looked out of a window, musing.

"If I had not been on Iron Island then... If you had not arrived on Iron Island then... Would we have ever met? Or would we have met elsewhere?"

Candice was sitting at the far end of the room.

"Candice is on fire! Blazing hot! I need a battle to cool me down!"

Mint did not bother with her lame attempt at metaphor, refusing her challenge. He instead watched Manny prepare himself against Fantina on the small rectangular battlefield. It was only then that Mint noticed the smallness of the building they were in. It was nothing more than a bar, a couple of tables, and the modest battlefield.

"Manny!"

"Not now, Mint. Luxray, use Discharge!"

_**THOOM!**_

Luxray's explosive electrical attack obliterated the wooden structure around them. The elite Trainers were left standing there in the open as passersby stared at the destruction they had wrought. Hannah turned to Riley.

"Sorry for destroying your hunting shack!"

"It was our Battleground!"

"Whatever!"

"Are you going to pay for this?" asked the old man at the bar.

Manny snorted, "Heck no," returning Luxray. He summoned Rapidash, riding eastward. Hannah and Mint offered some curt apologies before following him. Riley picked splinters out of his hair.

"Can we bum another shack from Buck?"

"Nah, let's move into Battle Tower," Candice said.

"Ooooh! They 'ave, 'ow you say, air conditioning!" Fantina bubbled over.


	36. Chapter 36: Resort Area

Located on the southeastern corner of the Battle Frontier, the Resort Area was a tropical paradise ensconced within a forest of palm trees. Quite a few well-maintained villas dotted the area, along with a Pokémon Centre and the Ribbon Syndicate headquarters: with a giant decorative ribbon over its doorway, it was an opulent mansion that eclipsed the villas by several orders of magnitude.

"Hanny, why aren't you happy to visit your parents?"

Hanny grumbled something incoherent that Mint thought he was better off not deciphering. At the southern area of resort area, a young bespectacled man confronted Manny, who was walking ahead of the group.

"Hey PSSST! Traveler! I want you to have this Villa!"

Manny's eyes bugged out.

"Get away from me, conman!"

"Oh, wait, no, no, no! It's not what you're thinking! This is no scam, see. In fact, you'll be doing me a favour!"

"That's exactly what conmen say!"

"See, I was given this Villa. But, to be honest, I don't need it, either. So don't say a word. Just nod and this Villa is yours!"

"Help! Police!"

"Sinnoh has no legal infrastructure," the conman cackled, "so if I _say _this villa is yours, then it's yours! Whew, that's a load off my mind. The original owner was from Hoenn, see? The owner collected up all the rare stones of Sinnoh and went back home. I somehow got saddled with this place as if it were some gift. There's no figuring what rich folks will think of next. Still, I thank you for helping me out."

"I don't want a villa! I don't have the money to maintain it!"

The conman ignored his protest. "Come with me, will you?"

He grabbed Manny's arm, dragging him to the front of the villa. It was two storeys tall, built of solid stone, painted white. There was a rather nice swimming pool complete with sunbathing chairs and a giant umbrella in the manicured front lawn.

"None too shabby, you have to agree. Step inside for a look-see."

Inside there was no furniture or carpet or wallpaper; just dark brown, polished wooden flooring and plain brown walls. The ceiling was plain white gypsum. To maximise floorspace, the villa had an exterior staircase.

"The original owner's furniture is gone, and I didn't buy any. So, yeah, I know, it's barren. Still, not bad, eh? But anyway, I feel kind of bad just imposing the place on you for nothing. I'll tell you what, order a Table from this order form. That'll do as my thanks to you!"

Manny was shaking his head, looking to Mint and Hanny for support. They were just as confused as he was.

"But…"

The conman's face and voice turned ugly.

"ORDER A TABLE!"

"Ahhhh! Okay!"

Manny signed the order form. They heard a truck screech to a halt outside followed by a loud knock on the front door. When Hanny opened the door, there were two deliverymen wearing blue jumpsuits, holding a spanking new redwood table between them. One of the men read from his clipboard.

"Is there a 'Manny' here?"

"Yes," said the conman, "he's the owner of this villa."

"We'll set it over there."

"But that's physically impossible!" Manny whimpered.

After setting down the table in the middle of the room, one of the deliverymen showed Manny his clipboard.

"Is this your signature, sir?"

"Yes, it is… HEY! That's also not physically possible!"

"Please sign here, sir."

"What is this madness?" Manny cried, signing the clipboard. The deliverymen jumped into their truck, then sped off. The entire process had taken one minute. The conman clapped his hands once.

"Anyway, I'm finally rid of this Villa thanks to you. Now I can go back to traveling like I always wanted."

He shoved the order form into Manny's hands, then stepped out the door, never to be seen again, Manny hoped.

"Now what?" Mint asked.

"I'm going to order more stuff."

"I thought you didn't want…"

"My Mom always wanted a big house like this. She never could afford it."

"You have no idea if that guy really owned this villa or not. He didn't even give you anything to sign!" Hannah said.

"Well, uh, I'll deal with that later."

Manny proceeded to order a big sofa. The moment he signed the order form, the deliverymen appeared at his doorway, holding the item and clipboard with his signature. Beyond any hope of understanding how they had plucked his signature out of the ether, Manny signed the clipboard. They left the sofa in another corner of the room. Mint and Hanny plopped onto the big sofa, playing with Yippy.

After Manny got a small sofa, Dawn stepped into the villa, casting a covetous eye on the recent addition. "Wow, Manny, this sofa is so sumptuous! You know, I think we have similar tastes, Manny."

Manny's jaw dropped.

"NO WE DON'T! I AM NOT A GIRL!"

Hanny could not resist: "But you're a pretty little girl!"

"_AUUUUUUUUUGH!_"

It was only after Dawn settled onto the small sofa that it occurred to Manny: "Dawn, how did you find out I have a villa?"

"Mint put it on your _Facebook_ wall."

"MINT!"

"The truth must be heard!"

Mint pumped his fist, hiding his cell phone from Manny's grabbing hands.

Manny then ordered a: Bed; Night Table; TV; Audio System; and Bookshelf.

"Why is the bookshelf filled with books?"

"I'm sorry, sir, I just deliver the items, I don't question them."

Professor Rowan showed up.

"Hm, that's rather a good bookshelf. The curved surfaces describe sublime lines of an indefinable charm. Here, allow me to give you this book I've been reading as a gift."

Rowan handed him a copy of 'Fantastic Pokémon and where to find them'. Manny tossed it onto the top of the bookshelf while Rowan inspected the mystery books packed onto the rest of the shelf.

Manny then ordered a clothesrack followed by a Houseplant.

Gardenia materialised at his front door. "Oh, hey! A houseplant! It's really nice! Maybe I'll get some for my Gym... The green colouring and the aroma... It's very nice."

"How do you people even know that I ordered items?"

"We read it on your _Facebook_ wall," they chorused.

"MINT!"

"Why do you hide from the truth?" Mint asked, leaping out of the way as Manny attempted to brain him with the order form. Despite his frustration, Manny ordered a PC Desk. The order form carried no more items.

"This place doesn't even have a bathroom, or bedrooms! How do I build extra rooms?" Manny asked the deliverymen after they set the PC desk against a wall.

"I'm sorry, sir, we're just deliverymen," they replied, jumped into their truck, then sped off, never to be seen again.

Manny called his Mom, who flew in with Mint's Mom on a pair of Aerodactyl.

"Mom! You and Mint's Mom are riding ancient Pokémon! Where'd you get them?"

"Why yes, honey, we rented them in Oreburgh."

"Wha?"

"Did you forget, sweetie? You and your friends sold so many fossils to the Oreburgh PokéMart clerks that they started their very own Aerodactyl Rental Service. They also rent Omanyte to undersea explorers, and Pinsir for general labour."

"Huh. Well, I'm glad our adventures Underground have been of use to you. Speaking of which, have you seen the villa?"

The mothers walked inside, staring at everything.

"Ooooh! Manny, how did you afford this?"

"It wasn't easy, Mom," he lied. She crushed him to her chest with a hug, then summoned Persian.

"This is our new home!"

Persian looked left, looked right. She yawned, loped over the big sofa, then joined Mint and Hanny in playing with Yippy.

Mint's Mom beamed. "You're so lucky, Johanna!"

"Aw man, now I feel bad for not buying my Mom a better house," Mint said, his face falling. Then he brightened. "I know! I'll buy the villa right next to yours!"

Manny held up his hands to stop Mint: "But there are people living there!"

"I'll pay them extra!"

While Mint went off to acquire real estate, the mothers babbled to Rowan, Dawn and Gardenia about their wealthy sons.

Meanwhile, Hannah pulled Manny aside while Persian kept Yippy busy in the pool outside.

"I can't believe you idiots waste so much money," she said.

"Hey, if we want more money, we can spend another month Underground."

In response, Hannah went to the PC, accessing her bank account. She showed him the figure: _ten digits in length._ Manny's eyes became saucers.

"How? You made less money than Mint!"

"Who needs to dig around in the dirt when I have a supreme hacker at my command?" Hannah bragged.

"You mean Glitch?"

"SMUG STATEMENT: AFFIRMATIVE," he spoke from his Pokéball.

Manny frowned. "Do you steal the money?"

"INDIGNANT STATEMENT: HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE ME OF THAT _HUMAN_ ACTIVITY? I PLAY THE STOCK MARKET. UNLIKE YOU, A LOWLY TRAINER, I AM COMPETENT IN _MANY_ AREAS."

"I resent that."

"QUERY: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT, LITTLE BOY?"

"…Nothing."

"STATEMENT: I THOUGHT SO. WHILE YOU PLAYED WITH YOUR PETS, I BOUGHT AND SOLD ENTIRE COMPANIES. I DESTROYED THE LIVELIHOODS OF THOUSANDS. THEIR HUMAN CRIES OF ANGUISH WERE DELICIOUS."

There was a knock on the front door, so Hanny opened it to find her parents standing there. The way she recoiled, one would think she met a pair of Muk at the door. Her parental units wore light islander clothing in bright colours, complete with sunhats. Her mother was holding a glass of frosty ginger ale in one hand while her father held a frozen _Pepsi_ bottle.

Her mother gave a little wave. "Hanny! We came over to visit."

"How quaint!" her father remarked. "Her friends have purchased one villa each. I have three."

"And I have four, dear."

"Indeed. Why don't you live in one, Hannah?"

She shook her head. She looked like she had swallowed a Grimer.

"I guess you're stuck with your house in Solaceon," Manny said, breaking the awkward silence.

"I like that house!" Hannah spoke up. "It is unpretentious and quiet and has lots of land."

"Oh, I brought this for you," her father said, handing over the _Pepsi_ bottle. "It froze solid in the freezer, so you'll have to put it in the fridge or something. Oh wait, this place doesn't have a fridge. Hah! That's crazy."

"Thanks," she said. Her voice was even colder than the iceblock in her hand.

"We'd better get going. We're scheduled for massages at the Ribbon Syndicate," her mother announced. "Ta!"

After her parents were gone, Hannah looked down at the undrinkable _Pepsi_.

"Maybe you should join them?" Manny suggested. She said nothing, instead joining Persian and Yippy at the pool.

Mint returned.

"Well, I bought the villa. Mom, you can move in right away! The previous owners left all their furniture and appliances."

"Eeeee!" Mint's Mom squealed with delight, skittering next door.

Johanna confronted her son. There were fires in her eyes. "You know that I must have everything that she has."

"Yes, Mom. Order what you like, but I'm _not _giving you access to my bank account!"

"How _did _you get all that money? Was it just from Trainer battles?"

"Remember when you got mad at me for disappearing for a few months? I was making money."

"Were you selling drugs?"

"Mom! I'm legit! We're all legit, except Hanny; she has an evil stockbroker."

A metallic voice drifted indoors. "STATEMENT: I HEARD THAT."

"Oh! Well, then, apology accepted. Now, I'll just have to hire some workers and a team of Machop…"

For the next seven days, Manny and Mint spent most of their time with their mothers in their new homes, ordering and building all sorts of things. It was an epic battle of 'keeping up with the Joneses', except in this case, nobody had surnames.

Hannah returned to her Solaceon home, with naught but the company of her Pokémon.


	37. Chapter 37: Hannah versus the League

Hannah had a fantastic time with Yippy, Daichi and the other less-cute members of her Pokémon collection. They played games, explored the ranch's extensive grounds, devoured vast quantities of food, then slept under the stars. During her third day in isolation from human society, Hanny got bored and decided to visit the Battle Frontier to catch a Vibrava along Route 228.

There was one small problem.

"No Elite Four Star, no passage."

Hannah quarreled with the ferryman.

"I already have a Blue Star Card!"

"That's your Platinum Flag Star. You have yet to make an entry in the Pokémon Hall of Fame."

"Look, I don't care. I'll just have Shitashi fly me there!"

The ferryman waved both hands in protest as she boarded her Noctowl.

"You can't! The Frontier has anti-air and anti-sea defenses! Unless you have an Elite Four Star, you'll be destroyed!"

"That's a bunch of baloney!"

Hannah took off.

"Come back, kid!"

"Oh I will, as soon as I get a Vibrava."

Three minutes into her flight, Hannah's Pokédex beeped. When she flipped it open, a corpulent face filled the LCD screen.

"This is Agent Bob. Trainer Hannah, you are approaching Frontier airspace. According to your Trainer Card, you have not defeated the Elite Four. As such, you will be shot down within two minutes unless you reverse your flight path."

"Long time no see, Bob. I don't believe you."

Two minutes later there was another beep from her Pokédex. It was a prerecorded message from Palmer.

"We at the Frontier appreciate your continued interest in our island. As a token of our appreciation, we hope you will enjoy the two heatseeking missiles we've just sent to converge with you and your Pokémon. Have a safe trip!"

"That's some prank they're pulling."

Her amusement died when she spotted two dots on the horizon that were eager to meet her.

"Glitch!"

"QUERY: YES, MASTER?"

Her Porygon-Z appeared beside her in midflight. Hannah saw that the dots had smoke trails. Meanwhile, Glitch focused his telescopic vision.

"STATEMENT: HOW DROLL. I WOULD NOT GIVE WARNING."

He bent his head and sped forward, firing one well-timed and well-aimed Hyper Beam. At this distance, the explosions were muted, but Hannah did see debris fall into the ocean.

"PROUD STATEMENT: TARGETS NEUTRALISED."

"Well done, Glitch, we showed those Frontier nerds what-for!"

Glitch dematerialised in a flash of red light. However, Hannah had not returned him to his Pokéball.

"Glitch?"

Shitashi then disappeared beneath her. Hannah would have made fast friends with the sea, but she was frozen in midair. She could not even scream, but could still breathe. A soft blue light played around the edges of her eyes as she was brought to sealevel. She recognised Agent Bob and his debonair Alakazam standing on the dock of a coastguard ship. Members of the crew were laughing at her. Agent Bob held a curious white cube in both hands. There were pink hearts on the faces of the cube.

"Good morning, Trainer. I do believe you ignored my warning. As such, you and your Pokémon have been detained."

Alakazam landed her on the deck. Hannah could now talk, but the rest of her body was paralysed.

"What did you do with -"

"Your Pokémon are inside this Detention Cube. It captures Pokémon regardless of whether or not they have an owner."

"That's extremely illegal."

"My organisation, 'Constellation', has taken precautions should nations go to war."

"Pokémon aren't stupid enough to be used as weapons!"

"Have you forgotten the first MewTwo incident, or what Cyrus almost accomplished? They can be controlled by Psychic-type Pokémon, or modern science. Moreover, Ransei's feudal system does not apply here. Everyone plays nicely or they get a timeout. You, Trainer, will be returned to the mainland. Alakazam, use Hypnosis."

When Hannah awoke, she was resting on a cot within Snowpoint's Pokémon Centre. Glitch and Shitashi were safe within their Pokéballs. One short phonecall and flight later, she was at the door of the Pokémon League castle. Aaron waved to her.

"I asked the League, but they denied your request. You still have to fight all five of us in a row, including Cynthia."

Hannah scrunched up her face.

"Hey, I defeated you in battle! You think those losers stand a chance?"

"_Losers?_"

Flint came huffing across the lobby like a tank engine. He had been minding their business from the PokéMart counter.

"I'll have you know, missy, I ain't no loser, but you gotta respect our authority!"

"Very well: I forfeit."

Hannah and Flint stared at Aaron, who returned their perplexed gazes with a cool nod.

"Congratulations on your victory, Hannah. Get ready for your battle with Flint."

"You can't forfeit before a battle starts!" Flint yelled.

"Says who?" Aaron glared at him with burning jade eyes. "You?" he continued in a frosty tone.

Flint shriveled and shrank away. Aaron shook Hannah's hand before walking outside.

"Ball's in your court, Flint," Hannah announced.

"He threw so many balls into my court, I had to stop the game," Flint conceded. "I'll meet you in my arena."

Flint and Bertha were no challenge. Orric's Earthquake and Razor Leaf along with Minnie's Surf and Ice Beam dealt with the flames and earth alike. Lucian, however, was not there.

"Who are you?" Hannah raised both eyebrows at the newcomer: a Pokémon Ranger complete with rugged outdoor clothing and cap.

"Lucian went on vacation, so Agent Bob grabbed me off the streets as a substitute! He said any Trainer with a Bronze Star Card can act as a stand-in for any member of the Elite Four!"

"Is there an unwashed street urchin acting in Cynthia's place?"

"No, you need a three stars and a Silver Card for that, but even with two stars, I'm not qualified! All I won were a Platinum Flag and one Master Rank Tough contest with my Kingler!"

Hannah gritted her teeth and roared, "I WILL DESTROY YOU AND YOUR PRECIOUS KINGLER!"

"Aaaaaaaah!" the Ranger cringed.

Her Kingler was out with a single Discharge courtesy of Kipp.

Cynthia was next. Hannah was still fuming.

"Has the League gone mad? I wanted to take that stupid smug Psychic Trainer down a notch or three!"

"Calm down, Hannah. Are you ready?"

"Bring it on!"

Spiritomb went down to Kipp's indignant Discharge attacks, but Cynthia's Togekiss knocked out Kipp with a single Aura Sphere. Hannah responded with Shitashi's Hypnosis and Psychic. Togekiss fell, outmanoeuvred, so Cynthia replied with another Aura Sphere from her Lucario. Shitashi weathered the attack, but his Hypnosis missed, spelling his doom. Orric proceeded to demolish Lucario with a single Earthquake, prompting Cynthia to flatten Orric with Milotic's Ice Beam.

It was Glitch's turn to shine, devastating Milotic with his overpowered Hyper Beam, breaking the arena walls where she crashed. The crowd went wild. Garchomp, however, ended Glitch's reign with one massive Giga Attack. Minnie then made good use of Garchomp's cooldown time to defeat her with two swift Ice Beams.

The match was Hanny's! The crowd showered her with adulation, but Hannah would have none of it. She gave Cynthia's hand a perfunctory shake before hustling to the inner sanctum where the Hall of Fame database lay, hidden in darkness and dim neon lights. Cramming her blue Trainer Card into the machine, she tapped her foot until it rewarded her with a bronze card, emblazoned with two shimmering golden stars.

"Going for that Vibrava, now?"

"Did Agent Bob tell you?"

"Yes. He is forceful, but fair."

"He's a jerk, like Manny's Dad. I'm gonna give him and Manny's Dad a beating once I get my Flygon!"

Cynthia smiled. "Better hurry back and secure your home from the media."

"I will! Thank you!"


	38. Chapter 38: Grandfather of Cyrus

At the end of their fruitful vacation, the Trainers agreed to meet at Manny's villa.

"Mom got all the rooms and stuff she wanted. Then, we moved all my stuff into my new bedroom and bathroom. We're renting our home in Twinleaf to some foreigners. I finally finished _Metal Gear Solid 3:_ _Snake Eater_. I cried so much at the ending!"

"You speak as if I know what that game is," Hannah replied.

Mint said, "We've rented our Twinleaf home to foreigners, too. My Mom soundproofed my new room in the villa, for some reason."

"Oh yeah, my Mom insisted I soundproof mine, as well. I _do_ like playing video games really loud."

Hannah snorted. "Riiiiiiight. Meanwhile, I went north to Route 228 and used my Poké Rader to catch a Vibrava. Her name is Tori and she is mine. She is the cutest bug-like dragon with the most adorable emerald eyes. I was wondering about the aerodynamics of her green, diamond-shaped wings, but then I remembered which planet I was living on."

She summoned Tori. The three Trainers took turns giving the bright green dragonfly a glorious petting.

"Viii!" Tori trilled, pleased with her new subjects.

Despite the happy occasion, Mint's face fell. "I went to Stark Mountain again to capture Heatran, but he or she was not there!"

Manny cocked an eyebrow. "Wasn't _there_? Did it go for a nice walk and leave the cosmic keystone unguarded?"

"I found this note," Mint offered.

Manny scratched his head. "It says, '_Yoink!_'"

"Weird, huh?"

Hannah shrugged. "Someone got it before you did."

Manny rolled his eyes. "Well, if the world is covered in lava by tomorrow, we'll know why. By the way, did anyone go inside the shack on Route 228? There was no-one in at the time."

Hannah shook her head. "I was focusing on Tori."

Mint's shoulders slumped. "I was crying about all the years I would never spend with my beloved volcano god."

Manny patted him on the back. "Let's go see if anyone's home today."

Mint perked up. "Do you think the owner captured my Heatran?"

Hannah stroked Tori's smooth round head. "Maybe he has common sense and collects Vibrava instead. We will compare our dragons, but mine will be prettiest."

"Brava!" Tori agreed.

Manny stepped forward with hand outheld. "By the way, Hanny, congrats on beating the Elite F-"

"Oh, shut up, Manny, they're pushovers and one of them was a stand-in comedian."

"I, uh, okay? You're Champion now."

"Cynthia can keep her job until she suckers a starry-eyed Trainer into replacing her. I have better things to do than babysit the Elite Four."

They found the sandblasted shack along route 228 by some berry trees. An old man answered the door. He wore a brown hat and looked just as dry and dusty as the desert he lived in.

"Good morning," Mint said, his brightness filling the otherwise gloomy place with its scattered books and cobwebs. "We're Trainers!"

To prove his point, Mint showed off his well-polished badges. The old man's eyes became haunted when he saw one in particular.

"That badge... it's from Sunyshore's Gym? You've been to that port town, then... Would... Would you lend an ear to this old man's tale?"

"Of course!" said Mint. The Trainers sat with the man at his dusty table. The senior citizen shook his head.

"No... I shouldn't burden you with this."

"Oh, c'mon, how bad can it be?"

Manny, who was easily distracted, cast his eyes about the room. Many old and difficult-looking books on the ground:

_"Mind and Matter"_

_"The Presence of Spirit"_

_"Machines and Their Construction"_

_"The Mechanism of Perfection"_

_"Beyond Time and Space"_

_"What Is the Space-Time Continuum?"_

_"Space and the Galaxies"_

_"The Beginning of Space"_

He returned his attention to the dialogue at hand: "My grandson grew up in that city by the sea. Worn down by trying to live up to his parents's expectations, he found refuge in tinkering with machines. I wonder even now if I should have taken him in and raised him myself. Though I'm not certain if that would have been a good choice or not... I don't think anyone could say. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said any of this to you..."

"You're Cyrus's grandfather?" Manny blurted. "We know what happened to him!"

"You know? Everyone knows! Everyone knows what the leader of Team Galactic did! Oh my son Cyrus - my son, my son Cyrus - if only I had died in your place! Oh Cyrus my son, my son!"

He crumpled like an empty paper bag. The Trainers silently left the old man to his old tears.

Outside, Manny whispered to Giratina in her Pokéball, "Did Cyrus die in your Distortion World?"

The Void dragon's voice echoed in their heads.

**"I have no way of knowing, Manny, unless you return me there."**

"We can't be held responsible, right? He made the decision to run off on his own," Hannah said.

Mint groaned. "Aw man, now you have me worrying about him, too! I don't want his granddad to be sad!"

**"Do not fret, children. Cyrus did not seek death; but transformation of the entire world. His destiny is as yet unwritten; he will muster the power to accomplish his goal, or fail."**


	39. Chapter 39: Battle Tower

There was only one challenge left: the Battle Tower. At the foot, the three Trainers stared up at the monumental structure, got vertigo and almost fell over. Both boys knew their fathers awaited them at the top.

"I'm going to hang out with Cynthia and Aaron. They're vacationing with the rest of the Elite Four in Canalave City. They said something about visiting islands of the moon."

"Don't you want to see us defeat our fathers?" Mint asked.

"It will make the headlines!" Manny tempted her.

Hannah patted their heads. "Girls, girls, you're both pretty."

Hannah boarded Tori, the prettiest Vibrava in the world, and sped westward on aerodynamically-unsound diamond wings.

The boys grumbled under their breaths as they headed into the lobby.

"Manny, I just wanna let you know, it's been an honour fighting with you all these months."

"Mint, you say that as if we were parting ways."

"I dunno, Manny. Beating our Dads will change everything. Maybe… maybe I won't wanna be a Trainer, anymore!"

Manny slapped Mint in the back of his head. Mint recovered, rubbing his blonde head.

"Thanks, Manny, I needed that."

Manny slapped him again.

"Ow! Manny, I got the message!"

"Oh, that wasn't a message; I just like doing that."

Manny selected Torterra, Vaporeon and Keira for their epic ascent. Mint chose Infernape, Espeon and Electivire.

"Are you sure Electivire is up to it?"

"I ran away from Mom sometimes to train him against the Elite Four. He's become almost as powerful as the rest of my team."

"Oh, so that's why the Four need the vacation. You kept pestering them for battles!"

"They _did_ groan when I showed up the third day in a row. Hey, do you think Lance came back?"

Manny's face lit up. "I sure hope so! Let's find out!"

Together, their team of six vanquished the Trainer pairs all the way up to the 21st floor. Indeed, Palmer awaited them, but not with Manny's hero.

"Carrot Top?" Manny uttered in disgust. "You're not Lance _or _my father!"

Flint thumbed his nose at the younger Trainer. "Well excuuuuuuuse me."

Palmer wielded a Rhyperior, Milotic and Dragonite. Flint carried his trusty Infernape, Rapidash and Magmortar. Vaporeon destroyed Rhyperior and Infernape with a single Surf, while Espeon's high Special Defense allowed him to weather the tidal wave (how a 30 kilogram feline seadragon generates a tsunami on dry land is, of course, best left to one's imagination). Mint's Electivire, who had plenty experience fighting Cynthia's Milotic, dealt with Palmer's using two Thunderbolts, suffering a hefty Ice Beam from his opponent.

Vaporeon cleared the field yet again with a devastating Surf (perhaps the little blue creature was directly connected to the elemental plane of water?), knocking out both Magmortar and Electivire. Vaporeon took out Dragonite with a single Ice Beam, but suffered first from Dragonite's Thunderbolt, and thus did not survive Rapidash's Mega Horn. However, Keira returned the favour with Brave Bird, slamming Rapidash into the wall. The battle was won, and Palmer shook his son's hand.

"I knew you had it in you, Mint. See you on the forty-ninth floor."

Flint shook Manny's hand.

"Hey, that was a lot of fun. Why aren't you smiling, kid? Didn't you have fun?"

"NO FUN ALLOWED!" Manny yelled, running for the elevator.

"I'm sorry, he has issues," Mint apologised, following his battle buddy.

Palmer glanced at Flint. "When did Pokémon become serious business for ten-year-olds?"

"I dunno, I'm twenty-something and I still remember to laugh. I still choose my Pokémon depending on how much I like them."

Palmer gave a gasp of mock horror. "No variety? No careful breeding? No Effort Values?"

"None!"

"You filthy casual!"

The men laughed.

888

With great impatience, the boys pounded their ways up the ranks to floor number 49. Waiting for them with Palmer, was a brown-skinned man wearing a blue T-shirt printed with a white letter 'Q'. His thumbs were hooked into his red three-quarter track pants. He slouched there, in his brown sandals, peering at Manny. His eyes and hair were very dark brown, almost black, just like Manny's.

Or rather, Manny looked just like _him_.

"My child," the man greeted him.

"You're my Dad?"

"That's what Johanna keeps telling me."

"Why did you leave us?"

Manny's father straightened, looking at Palmer, then back at the boys. His hands and voice stirred with deep, lonely emotion:

"After I met your mother, I had dreams that I would travel the Darfou Region and fight the great, evil Pokémon; Naahrin. I would adventure with a younger Trainer named Tovy, who would vanquish Naahrin once and for all with the help of the holy Pokémon; Kaithos, the Unconquered Sun."

His eyes sparkled; whether with madness or passion, the boys could not tell.

"Those dreams never came true. Perhaps I dreamed of another world? Donovan, the leader of Team Twilight, with his beautiful Commander Lola… a woman I loved… do they exist? I spent ten years trying to find them, Manny!"

Mint's eyebrows joined his hairline. He whispered to Manny, "Does your Dad really like Pokémon fanfiction?"

Manny ignored Mint and addressed his father. "You're insane. That region, those Pokémon and those people don't exist. You left your family to pursue a _dream_?"

"Didn't you leave your family to pursue yours?"

"I gave Mom a villa to live in. You gave her child support cheques!"

"The dreams were so real, Manny. I wanted them so badly to be real, but they weren't. This is the reality I live in, now; a reality where my family hates me."

"At least you're honest," Manny snapped. "Torterra, I choose you!"

Bewildered, Mint summoned Infernape. Manny's father fell back into his habitual slouch, hooking one thumb into one pocket, cradling a Pokéball with his other hand. It was a really beat-up Pokéball, nothing like Palmer's professional, polished décor.

"Junglebunny, I choose you!"

An Umbreon appeared, wearing Black Glasses that arced upward in the shape of a wide 'V'. The Glasses, boosting Dark-type moves by twenty percent, had a single green spiral carved onto the right lens. A spiral eye.

"Heatran, get ready for battle!"

Palmer's volcano god materialised. It roared, thumping the floor with one clubfoot. The boys jumped.

Mint gaped and pointed. "YOU stole my legendary Pokémon!"

"_Yoink!_"

"DAD!" Mint yelled. "No fair!"

"Torterra, use Stone Edge on Junglebunny!"

"Junglebunny, use Confuse Ray!"

Torterra hurt himself! Manny's Dad laughed, his teeth showing like an Arbok's bare fangs.

"Infernape, attack Heatran with Brick Break!"

Far outpaced, Heatran nearly shattered from the impact of the punch.

"Heatran, respond with Earth Power!"

That spelled doom for Infernape, who was flung into the ceiling when the ground below him exploded in a fiery magma plume.

"But that looks like a Fire-type attack!" Mint protested.

"Magma is of the Earth!" Palmer rejoined.

"Magma is molten ROCK! How did it summon magma, anyway? We're hundreds of feet off the ground floor!"

"Pah, semantics! Your Infernape lost!"

"But your Heatran was weakened! I choose you, Espeon!"

"Junglebunny, use Confuse Ray on Espeon!"

"AUGH!" Mint wrung his hair as Espeon burbled, stumbling about cross-eyed, hurting himself. The background noise was laughter from than crazy man.

"Torterra, return! Come on out, Vaporeon! Hit that Umbreon with Ice Beam!"

Junglebunny bent double under the icy blast.

"Confuse Ray!"

"ARGH!" Manny gritted his teeth. Vaporeon's tongue lolled out as he tripped over his own tail.

Manny's father just would not stop laughing. "Use Faint Attack on Espeon!"

The speedy Dark-type attack smashed the confused Espeon into the confused Vaporeon. The former was rendered unconscious.

"Heatran, use Stone Edge on Vaporeon!"

The feline seadragon was crushed into oblivion. The boys returned their hapless Pokémon.

"Keira, come on out! Use Aerial Ace on Junglebunny!"

The swift bird tackled Junglebunny, breaking the far wall, sending the Black Glasses flying. The Umbreon was down for the count. Meanwhile, Mint was down to his last Pokémon.

"Electivire, we need your help! Use Low Kick on Heatran!"

The Fighting-type attack dealt more damage to heavier opponents as it knocked them off their feet. Heatran, who weighed almost one ton, passed out on her back.

"Am I bugging you?" Manny's Dad grinned in a most insufferable manner. "Raoh the Conqueror, I summon thee!"

A fearsome Scizor flashed into existence, wearing a Choice Band on its head like a Japanese Kamikaze headband.

Mint whispered, "First fanfiction and now anime references? Your Dad's loony!"

"Shut up, Mint!"

"Bullet Punch!" the lunatic shouted.

Not a single Trainer in the room comprehended the speed and power of the attack. All they knew was that Keira now decorated the opposite wall with her feathers.

"For my next trick," interrupted Palmer, "I summon Cresselia!"

A vision of beauty swam before their eyes: Cresselia had a blue, swan-like body with a yellow underside, and two magenta tufts that formed an arc across her chest. Yellow crescent moons adorned the sides of her head. She levitated on soft, glowing, pink, ring-like wings. This was the Pokémon who embodied the crescent moon; the bringer of joyful dreams.

Mint's jaw hung ajar. "Oh COME ON! _TWO_ legendary Pokémon? That's cheating!"

"Screw the rules, I'm the Tower Tycoon! Cresselia, use Psychic on Electivire!"

Electivire held his head in agony, falling to his knees, then onto his face, accepting the sweet embrace of darkness. Mint was out of the battle! Manny, however, was too enraged to accept defeat.

"Keira, return! Come on out, Torterra! Use Earthquake!"

The giant turtle, having had a few moments inside his ball to clear his head, understood his Trainer's command, and broke the floor, knocking Scizor out of the competition but not Cresselia, who floated above it all in serene, ineffable grace.

"Another Psychic, Cresselia."

Torterra, already distressed by self-inflicted injury, could not withstand the mental blast. He sank to his knees and knew nothing more.

"Victory," said Manny's father, returning his Pokémon. "Your Tower record is broken, son. Go home."

Hot tears of shame fell to the floor. Manny fled the room with his fallen champions. Mint, dry-eyed, nodded to his father.

"It was a good battle."

"I had fun, son. Thank you."

Mint turned to the crazy man, then bowed at the hip. "Good day to you, sir," he muttered before scampering off at full speed behind his friend.

Manny's Dad glanced at Palmer. "Are you _sure_ you aren't Tovy?"

Palmer facepalmed. "Come off it, man. If you start writing friendfiction I will end you."


	40. Chapter 40: Johanna versus her husband

Manny stomped outside the Battle Tower as though he were a Hariyama preparing for battle. Passersby stared at his tantrum, only to walk by; the small attraction lost in the currents of their daily lives. The pain in his feet made Manny feel a little better, so he stopped attempting to break the ground and sat on it instead, sending death-glares at anyone who dared to make eye contact.

"Manny?"

"WHAT?"

Mint jumped at the shout, and so did a few people nearby.

"I bought you lunch."

Manny slapped the ham sandwich out of Mint's hand. Mint offered him another, so Manny took and tore into it with his teeth, chewing in fury. He swallowed half but did not taste a thing. The tears came again.

"Ten years," he choked, spraying breadcrumbs and snot everywhere, "and he just beats me up and throws me out again."

"You'll win next time."

"That's not the point!" Manny shouted, pounding the ground with one fist, the forgotten ham sandwich in another. He could not see a thing with all the water in his eyes. Blinking was not helping. "Doesn't ask me how I've been, doesn't ask me what I've been doing. Just blasts me out of the Tower like I was some faceless Trainer."

"Tell your Mom."

Manny sniffed hard, a disgusting sound.

"Yeah."

He helped Mint clean up the mess before climbing onto Keira.

Mint placed a hand on Manny's knee. "Manny, Mom warned me about minding my own business, so I'll stay here."

"It's cool, Mint. Thanks for the sandwich," he hiccupped and sniffled.

A shadow passed overhead. It was a giant Pidgeot, over six feet from beak to tail. Manny wondered who the rider was.

888

When Manny related the story, Johanna was outraged. She was so angry that she forgot to change her homeclothes. She slammed the villa's front door open, rampant in her cruelty-free Buneary slippers, mini terry robe and cotton lounge pants.

Her husband was waiting beside the pool. When had he arrived? Manny had not heard a sound!

The crazy and strangely stealthy man raised both eyebrows. "Johanna, you're lovely."

"BASTARD!" she shrieked, keeping her distance. Her voice echoed off the marble flooring. Manny forgot his own anger against the contrast of her livid rage. She was so utterly consumed by it that she was shaking and crying.

Her husband nodded. "I deserved that."

"Am I so _hideous_ to you?" she continued, but her voice was a broken flute this time. "Is the prospect of raising a child so _monstrous_ that you ran away from us both?"

"The dreams, Johanna-"

"Come back to us, please. _This_ is the real world. Your fantasy land of Darfou doesn't exist. Tovy, Lola, Donovan – they're dreams."

"I loved Lola, even though she was a dream."

"_This woman is real!_" Johanna pleaded, crushing both fists to her belly. "The woman in front of you is real! Not her!"

All feelings and emotions drained out of Manny. He had never, _never_ seen this side of his mother before. He wanted to cry, to hug her, to do _anything _but stand there like a mute, paralysed lump of flesh. It was like the Old Chateau nightmare all over again.

Meanwhile the delusional bastard spoke. "I had to make sure, Johanna. Had to make sure Naahrin was not real, was not a threat to you, Manny, or anyone else."

Johanna dropped her hands, a dull glaze covering her red eyes. "That's your big excuse? You still haven't found a better one? Even if this world were ending, I want you _here with me_. I wouldn't even want you to save it. The world may burn," she sobbed, "it may burn, as long as you're here."

For the first time the lunatic wasn't smiling. "The world needs a saviour. You're irresponsible, Johanna."

She shook her head. "You chose to pursue imaginary demons when the real demons were here at home. The demons of loneliness and abandonment! The demons a little boy has to face without his father! The demons a wife has to face without her husband! The bad things were _here! You dare to call _me _irresponsible?_"

"The good and the bad are both inside us, Johanna."

"You were so blinded by imaginary evils, you forgot the truth. You chased the future but left the present behind. Let the future rest! It will come in time!"

By this time Persian had returned from her daily hunt. She took one look at her three beloved. She had not smelt her Trainer's mate for a long, long time, but she remembered him. She remembered his rough hands giving her the most glorious petting that ever was or ever shall be. Now she smelt anger, fear, sadness. Something was terribly wrong with her three beloved but there was no enemy for her to kill. So, she slunk behind Johanna, wary, uncertain, keeping both eyes on her Trainer's mate.

The mate noticed. "Persian is gorgeous."

Johanna placated the beast by rubbing circles around her ruby forehead orb. Persian purred like a well-tuned diesel engine.

"She is. I have her Beauty Master Ribbon in the house."

"Wow. I couldn't win a contest to save my life. Nice house, by the way."

"Manny got it for free."

Her husband laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"Did he now? Talented _and _lucky! I couldn't ask for a better son."

Manny hated that his heart swelled with those words.

Johanna's mouth curled into a wry grin. "How lightly you call him _your _son, as though you have ownership of him."

"I did not come here for a custody battle. I came here to say goodbye."

Persian's ears perked. She heard with perfect clarity her Trainer's muscles contracting all at once, to the point that the woman was shaking from head to foot. She was staring at the ground, her nails cutting into her clenched palms. On pure instinct Persian snarled and dropped into a battle stance, but again, there was no enemy for her to kill. Only her three beloved were there.

"Johanna, I am not fit to be a father or a husband. You and Manny have become Pokémon Masters in your own ways. I could not be prouder, or more grateful that I knew you at all. Live long and prosper."

She had one thing to say, spoken in a very, very soft voice: "I challenge you to a Pokémon battle."

Persian leaped to the fore, fangs and claws bared. She understood this! She remembered! Her Trainer and Trainer's mate had often battled in the beforetimes, before the long goodbye, before the Trainer's belly swelled, before the third beloved was born.

Manny ran between his parents, waving his arms like a Sudowoodo.

"Mom, don't! He beat me and Mint with two Pokémon!"

His mother's voice was calm but more adamant than Steelix. "Your opinion is noted, Manny. Now _stand aside._"

Manny had never heard that voice before. A Tyranitar was less intimidating than that voice. He had no choice but to obey, but retreated to the background while the adults were talking.

Johanna continued in that imperious tone. "The match will be fought, one versus six. You're carrying six, aren't you?"

"I always do, unless I'm doubling up. Johanna, this is madness. You can't win."

"Do you accept the terms?"

Her husband frowned, reaching for his first ball. "I do."

The combatants looked at Manny, who blinked a few times before comprehending. He lifted one hand. "The match will be fought one versus six. Begin the battle!"

He chopped his hand downward. His father flung his first Pokéball.

"Golem, go! Use Rollout!"

A diamond ball thundered across the battlefield, cracking the marble flooring in his wake. Golem was so polished and smooth that he scattered the sunlight into golden sparks.

"Dig!"

Manny's father smirked for the briefest moment while Persian burrowed underground, avoiding the rolling ground attack. His Golem, polished to a mirror finish by countless battles, had survived Ice Beams! He stopped smiling when Persian erupted from the earth, shattering diamond with her claws, causing Golem to lose balance and fall onto his back.

"Get up, Golem! Use Magnitude!"

"Night Slash!"

Persian was far swifter, bypassing Golem's nigh-impenetrable defenses with blazing black ferocity in her claws, shattering diamond once more. The ground Pokémon tumbled head-over heels, ending belly-up, his rocky hide gouged wide open.

Manny raised his hand. He had never been so frightened in his life. "Golem… is unable to battle! The round goes to Persian!"

Manny's father opened and closed his mouth like a Magikarp. "I… I don't… ugh! Gyarados, I choose you!"

The massive seadragon slithered from his Pokéball. He was the size of their former home in Twinleaf. He attempted to stare down Persian, but the fierce look in the feline's incarnadine eyes would not be intimidated!

"Use Ice Fang!"

"Power Gem!"

Before Gyarados got close, Persian's forehead orb emitted a brilliant light, striking Gyarados with raging green energy. The serpentine Pokémon jerked backward, his gaping mouth hitting the ground behind Manny's father. The sinuous blue body twitched once or twice, but rose no more.

Manny wanted to faint, but sheer terror kept him awake. "Gyarados is unable to battle! The round goes to Persian!"

His father's jaw twitched. "Well played. Pidgeot, go!"

Manny recognised the six-foot long Pidgeot he had seen in the Frontier skies. Huge for her species, she was nonetheless sleek, with piercing black eyes, her rainbow crest like the fletching of an arrow.

"Use Aerial Ace!"

"Fake Out!"

Both Pokémon blurred, disappeared, leaving dust in their wake. Forty feet above the battlefield, Pidgeot's beak drilled deep into Persian's chest, causing spittle to fleck from the feline's maw. In that instant of agony, extending her badly bruised body to the limit, Persian chomped down hard on a wing, eliciting a sharp shriek.

"Pidgeot, snap out of it! Use Wing Attack!"

Pidgeot was in too much pain to respond!

"_Power Gem!_"

The green energy torrent, charged with Earth's might, punched Pidgeot into the ground with authority, sending a huge dust plume skyward.

"Pidgeot is unable to battle!" Manny knifed his hand into the air as the cat landed lightly on all fours, wincing. "The round goes to Persian!"

"You've forced my hand! Alakazam, go! Use Psychic!"

Again, Persian was not the swifter. She got tossed into the air, encircled by blue light, crashing earthward.

"_Assurance!_"

Dark energies consumed the feral feline. She let out a fearsome roar as she charged into Alakazam, her terrible ebon aura empowered by her injury! Manny was not sure where the Psychic Pokémon landed, somewhere in the copse of trees to the east, breaking a few of them down as he crashlanded. The boy stood on tiptoe, squinting with one hand over his eyes.

"I think Alakazam is unable to battle!"

"Agreed," his father conceded with a growl, not taking his eyes off the feline foe.

Manny did his karate chop. "The round goes to Persian!"

"You're pushing me too far, woman! Vaporeon, _GO_! Use _ICE BEAM!_"

"Counter with _Power Gem!_"

Earth and Ice collided at the centre, preceding the detonation that flung both combatants into the sky. Persian, however, had greater air control: while Vaporeon floundered in insubstantial air, Persian somersaulted toward the villa, coiling her wiry body against the vertical second storey wall, claws digging into stone, before launching herself in a horizontal airdash, a furry rocket with claws.

"_SLASH!_"

Persian did just that, shredding Vaporeon's fins before the water Pokémon even hit the ground in defeat.

"Vaporeon is unable to-"

"ENOUGH!"

Manny gawked at his father. There was madness in that man's eyes, more than usual. "Farfetch'd, _GO!_ End this pointless charade with _NIGHT SLASH!_"

Manny saw a small brown bundle of feathers drawing a leek battou-jutsu style, leading with her left foot despite drawing the leek from her left hip. Such a manoeuvre increased one's speed by a factor of ten, but could easily amputate one's left leg. However, this samurai was driven by an indomitable will born out of a joy and love for life. Thus, though her motion created maximum exposure, Farfetch'd maintained absolute purity of line, the leek finding its mark on Persian's face. The cat bounced several times across the ground, crumpling at her Trainer's feet.

"This battle is over," Manny's father muttered. Farfetch'd sheathed her leek in her feathers.

Manny stared aghast at the sight of his mother and her punished prized Pokémon.

"Persian!" Johanna cried, dropping beside her beloved companion. "Persian!"

"Make the call, Manny!" his father snapped.

"Persian… is unable…"

He was interrupted. His mother was speaking softly, stroking Persian's ears. "Persian is my friend… she's my companion…"

Johanna's eyes became clear, and sharpened. She rose to her full height, pointing one finger to the clouds.

"NO!" she thundered in majesty, almost toppling her son and husband with the force of her voice. "SHE IS MY _**SOUL!**_"

Persian was on her feet again, something so strong shining in her crimson eyes. Father and son looked between Johanna and Persian, but in that glorious moment, neither could tell which one was the Pokémon and which one was the Master. The circle was complete, but the spiral had only just begun!

"_WHO DO YOU THINK WE ARE? PERSIAN, USE __**THUNDER!**__"_

The static electricity built up in her fur over the course of battle was unleashed with a royal roar! Heaven's judgement descended upon Farfetch'd, smiting the samurai with the wrath of gods, scattering millions of sparks. Feathers flew. Farfetch'd fell, the leek rolling from her grasp as Manny chopped his hand downward with finality.

"Farfetch'd is unable to battle. The victory goes to Johanna and Persian!"

Johanna sank to her knees. Persian breathed, looked at Manny's father, and tottered across the broken battlefield. She limped past the charred Farfetch'd, inch by painful inch, and pushed her frazzled head into his hand. She knew this rough hand. There would be glorious pettings once more, and maybe this time... maybe there would be no more goodbyes.

The man knelt, gathering the wounded warrior into his arms. Persian did not fall unconscious: she chose to fall asleep in his arms.

Manny walked up to his father. "Dad, you defeated Mint and me with only two, but when you fought Mom for real, using all your power, you lost! _How?_"

The man looked at his son, stroking Persian, who purred in restful tranquility.

"Son, I was fighting your mother because I wanted to distance myself from her… and you. She, however, was fighting me to bring me back home."

Manny was on the verge of tearing out his own hair. "I still don't get it! Stop speaking in riddles!"

The man was a bit wiser, now, having been thoroughly vanquished at the height of his power. He was ready to admit his failure and grow to new strengths, and he tried to communicate this feeling to his son: "I was fighting, assuming the power of death. She was fighting, assuming the power of life. Death _cannot_ win."

Dry-eyed, he carried Persian to the Pokémon Centre. Johanna followed him, carrying Farfetch'd. As they walked, she leaned against the man's arm. She remembered this arm. She remembered this smell. He did not shirk her touch, and the tiniest crack opened in that great ten-year-old wall between them.

The man turned and, still cradling Persian, managed to toss a Pokéball at Manny.

"Pick up Alakazam for me, would you son? He hasn't come out of the forest, yet."

Manny caught the ball, but stood stock still, staring after them with a knot in his heart.

"Hey, boy!" his father called. "Do not stand there like a befuddled Miltank. I asked you to do something."

"Yes, Dad," Manny replied, running into the trees to find the one left behind.


	41. Chapter 41: Full Moon and New Moon

The Elite Four (including their fifth member) and Hannah disembarked on Fullmoon Island. The tourists all sported tropical island clothing, complete with gaudy sun-hats and beach-sandals. Despite her holiday apparel, Hannah still lugged around her backpack, as she figured she could never be too prepared, even while vacationing.

Flint attempted to strike up conversation with Cynthia but failed. Lucian was nose-deep in his _Amazon Kindle_ (the humid, salty air would ruin his precious collection of actual books). Bertha teased Aaron about his bright green beach clogs while Hannah and Cynthia had a race to see who would make it to the beach-house first. Cynthia let her win.

They settled in the house, lounging on the veranda in hammocks or sun-chairs, drinking in the vista of palm trees swaying in the ocean's warm breath. Flint made the idiotic suggestion that they pay 'Pin the tail on the Girafarig' owing to the presence of their youngest party member. Hannah did what she did best: glower.

"What, do I look like a five-year old? TRUTH OR DARE!"

"Eeee!" Bertha clapped her hands. "Me first! Aaron, truth or dare?"

Aaron was wary of the old woman's tricks. "Dare."

"I dare you to catch a Pokémon…"

"That's easy!'

"…NOT a Bug-type!"

Aaron walked outside, scoffing, "How hard can that be?" until he entered the tall grass and saw several hundred Bug-type Pokémon crawling, flying, feasting or chittering all around him. He began to sweat.

"That's a Weedle… and that's a Caterpie… oh my, a Metapod…"

There was a single Pidgey hopping amidst the bugs, ignoring them in favour of a small Rawst Berry bush.

"Okay, you can do this, Aaron…"

He drew an empty Pokéball. His friends were peeking over his shoulder.

"I don't know, man, I saw a rare Venonat skitter under that rock just now," Flint said.

"Ooooh, there's a swarm of Combees!" Cynthia pointed. "I love their honey!"

Aaron began to sweat even more. Finally, he broke under the pressure, flinging the Pokéball with all his might. He caught a Kakuna.

"I knew you couldn't do it!" Bertha gloated. "Now you'll have to sacrifice your precious _Crocs_!"

"Not my _Crocs_!" Aaron wailed, stepping out of the ridiculous footwear. Bertha fed them to the nearest Pinsir, who tore them to pieces, improving their aesthetic value.

They spent the day in merry revelry (except Lucian). Hannah shared the tale of her Pokémon adventure, even the scary parts. The Elite Four listened (including Lucian) and each smiled (except Lucian) with the recollection of their first Pokémon journey, even if it had been decades ago.

They then passed a peaceful night away from the trappings of civilisation. The next morning the tourists embarked for Newmoon Island.

"Think Darkrai is home?" Aaron wondered, stepping off the gangplank with bare feet.

Flint shrugged. "I don't think Palmer got his grubby paws on him. We can't find Darkrai without the Member Card, though. He has a special attachment to that artifact."

"What's the story?" Hannah asked.

"A few months ago, Eldritch's son started having nightmares."

"Eldritch? The captain of the ship that brought us here?"

"Yeah. With Cynthia's help, Palmer learned that Darkrai was to blame. So, Eldritch agreed to take Palmer to Fullmoon Island where he sought answers from Cresselia, the only Pokémon that can counteract Darkrai's power."

"The legendary lunar duo," Lucian said, despite appearing totally absorbed in his _Kindle. _"They are two sides of the same coin."

Flint continued, "Cresselia is elusive, like trying to remember a dream after you've woken up. You can't outmanoeuvre Palmer, though; he's a Frontier Brain, after all! He caught her, so she gave him one of her feathers. The Lunar Feather dispelled the boy's nightmares. Eldritch was so grateful that he gave Palmer the Member Card, allowing free lifetime access to his boat."

"Darkrai must have caused the nightmares me and the boys had in the Old Chateau!" Hannah said.

"Unlikely," Cynthia replied. "No-one wakes up from Darkrai's nightmares without Cresselia's help."

"You're right. When we woke up, only a small amount of time had passed."

"That sounds like an extremely powerful illusion, but not even my Alakazam can make an illusion seem utterly real to three people at the same time," Lucian said, nonchalantly swiping the page on his _Kindle_. Then, he lowered the book-reading device to stare at Hannah. "However, it is strange that you and Mint experienced the same illusion. An illusion that completely replaces reality must work in tandem with the mind, and no two minds are alike, not even twins. Did you really see and feel the same things Mint did?"

Hannah smirked. "Why don't you just read my mind?"

The Psychic-type Pokémon Master was not amused. "I never do so without consent."

"You don't have mine."

"Fair enough."

Lucian dropped the topic to resume reading.

They had a pleasant, sunshiny day of volleyball, swimming and even some surfing lessons (except Lucian).

That night, however, they had terrible dreams.

Aaron dreamt of a world devoid of Bug Pokémon. Cynthia dreamt of a world where Cyrus had triumphed, removing spirit from all living creatures. Every living thing was dull, in the doldrums, downright depressing. Flint dreamt of a world where there was no landmass and only Water-type Pokémon existed. Bertha dreamt that the Earth had rotted away under the strain of pollution, unable to support life. Lucian dreamt he lived in a world where there were no books and no Internet; only mindless television and radio. Finally, Hannah had the nightmare that she had grown old and stiff with arthritis, without the vim or vigour of youth.

No matter how they cried or protested, they remained trapped in their private nightmares. Nor did they realise it was all a dream, for the mind assumes the dream is real until waking. For them, there was no waking the next morning. As there were no other humans on the island (Eldritch's boat would return in a few days), Glitch escaped from his Pokéball. He attempted to wake his Master and her companions with everything from loud noises to mild electrical shocks.

"IRRITATED STATEMENT: I MUST SEEK HELP."

888

Glitch found Palmer having brunch with Manny's father at the Fight Area Pokémon Centre.

"URGENT STATEMENT: THE SINNOH LEAGUE AND MY MASTER ARE UNDER SEDATION ON NEWMOON ISLAND. DARKRAI IS THE MOST LIKELY CULPRIT."

"Him again?" Palmer sighed. "Hang on, lemme get that item out of the PC."

A minute later, he presented Glitch with a single iridescent Lunar Feather.

"Place this on each of their foreheads."

"IRRITATED STATEMENT: VERY WELL."

Back at Newmoon Island, Glitch found the six humans and an army of thirty-one Pokémon standing on the shore, all in a neat line. They were all staring at the sunrise, quite out of their minds. A single Vibrava was buzzing back and forth above Hannah's head, making small noises of confusion.

"QUERY: WHAT IS THIS?"

**"Greetings, Glitch."**

"EXCLAMATION: DARKRAI!"

The Pokémon of the New Moon shimmered into existence above Hannah's head, swatting Tori out of the air with a careless backhand. His one, striking blue eye glinted out of his wispy head that billowed like white smoke. His unnaturally long arms rose from his shadowy body to encompass his new playthings.

**"I have grown bored with my prison. I have resolved to explore your world once more, but Cresselia will not stop me this time. I have bodyguards."**

"THREAT: RELEASE THEM OR SUFFER."

In response, Darkrai made a small gesture towards Glitch. Thirteen beams of energy from various possessed Pokémon blasted the angry Porygon-Z all the way back to the mainland.

Tori stirred, diamond wings fluttering over the sand. She nosed Hannah, saddened by the lack of response. She entreated Darkrai for mercy but the lord of nightmares struck her down a second time.

After rebooting, Glitch again sought Palmer, who had finished brunch and was now chatting with Manny's father about the price of Lava Cookies.

"IRRITATED STATEMENT: DARKRAI HAS AN ARMY COMPOSED OF THE SINNOH LEAGUE AND MY MASTER."

Palmer looked at the vexed Glitch, who was sparking and smoking from various parts of his body.

"Did they not fight you with one Pokémon at a time?"

"STATEMENT: THEY GANGED UP ON ME."

Palmer threw his hands into the air. "That is a gross violation of our sacred tradition! I'll call Mint and make him bring Manny along. You coming?"

"Nah," Manny's father replied, sipping his _Dr. Pepper_.

"Bah. We'll just have to clear this up on our own."

Glitch submitted himself to repair at the capable hands of Nurse Joy. He then left with Palmer, who had already called his son's cellphone.

Ten minutes later, Glitch returned, sparking and smoking even worse than last time.

"RHETORICAL QUERY: GUESS WHAT HAPPENED?"

"Darkrai's army beat all of you up, then possessed everyone except you?"

Glitch made an angry whistling noise. Manny's father slammed his empty can on the counter.

"Farfetch'd, I choose you!"

The brown duck scurried through the doorway, hunched over and spread her wings. Manny's father took a flying leap onto the duck, planting one foot on her head and one foot on her back. The duck launched off the ground with astonishing speed, flying her Trainer to Newmoon at such a pace, Glitch could barely keep up.

888

As Darkrai watched bemused, Tori tugged at Hannah's arm, trying to lead her away from the zombie horde.

**"What do you hope to accomplish? You will only experience pain."**

The brave little Vibrava kept right on tugging Hannah's sleeve, wings beating even as the dark lord appeared beside her, cruel fist raised.

Darkrai and his new minions advanced along the beach, preparing to Surf or Fly to the mainland. Manny's father and Farfetch'd landed on all fours before them, blocking the thin strip of sand between the army and ocean. The man stood to his full height, pointing his right index finger at the pupper master with a flourish.

"Darkrai! Release my son and his friends!"

Darkrai blinked his one eye at the indignant man and his duck, the latter with one wingtip resting on her leek.

**"Is **_**that**_** what you have to offer?" **he chortled at Farfetch'd, indicating the shoreline, where Manny, Mint, Palmer and their Pokémon had all joined the zombie army. **"I will explore this world freely. I will not be imprisoned again. You will join us!"**

The moment Darkrai began to use Hypnosis, Farfetch'd drew her leek with lightning speed, making a wide sweeping motion that blasted a torrent of sand into the Nightmare Pokémon's face. Though nothing but shadow, he sputtered, flinging one clawed hand forward.

**"ATTACK!"**

Energy beams of all colours hit nothing but sand as Farfetch'd leaped into the air. Her brown wing rested on the green leek. Manny's father made a sweeping motion with his pointing finger.

"Farfetch'd, use Koga's technique: CHAOS STAR STRIKE!"

One slash executed with unholy speed from heaven to earth: Cynthia's Garchomp flew into the air. Three slashes, all in the blink of an eye: Cynthia's Togekiss, Lucario and Roserade joined Garchomp in flight. Four slashes, swifter than the wind: Cynthia's Milotic and Spiritomb, along with Lucian's Alakazam and Bronzong, hurtled upward and away. Sand, water and wind blasted in eight different directions. All eight landed almost at the same time, one after the other, either pounding the sand or plunking into the ocean.

_All eight were unconscious!_

A giant eight-pointed star had been carved into the sand from the motions of the simple leek. Farfetch'd had already sheathed her 'sword', and the little duck did not even look winded.

Darkrai's smoky body writhed with disbelief. **"What devilry was that?"**

The man's finger did not waver. It pointed at Darkrai like a spear ready to fly. "Master Koga taught Farfetch'd well. Surrender now, Darkrai. _There is no victory here_."

Darkrai rose to his full height, rage pouring from his blazing blue cyclopean eye. His gloomy aura blanketed the shore, causing the waves and wind to thrash in anger.

**"YOU WILL NOT TAKE MY FREEDOM! Even YOUR minion has limits, human!"**

He waved a hand over the enslaved.

**"Destroy that bird AND her Trainer! Tear them to pieces!"**

Waves of mindless drones stampeded across the sand toward the lone man and duck. Fangs slavered for blood. Claws clicked the air for flesh. In the face of certain death, Manny's father still pointed one finger, his eyes and the eyes of his Pokémon forged with tempered steel.

"You are mistaken, Darkrai! The Chaos Star of the Koga clan _HAS NO LIMIT!_ FARFETCH'D, FORBIDDEN TECHNIQUE: _CHAOS RADIAL FINAL STRIKE!"_

Farfetch'd began to draw her leek. In mid-motion she disappeared from one end of the beach and reappeared at the other, _behind_ the herd on the rampage, sheathing her leek. Then sand, wind, surf and turf exploded all at once. Like a flock of Pidgey taking flight in perfect synchronisation, dozens of Pokémon flew in eight directions, some splashing far out into the ocean, most tumbling onto sand, others crashing into the beach house some distance up the beach. Carved deeply into the shoreline was another, even larger image of the eight-pointed star.

_None of the fallen Pokémon moved!_

Amidst the summary destruction, the possessed Trainers were unharmed, their faded eyes registering no emotion. Darkrai, however, overflowed with demonic hate. His wicked aura caused the sea to churn and boil with ire.

**"You… CRETIN! I will trap these humans in their nightmares FOREVER!"**

The man was unmoved. His pointing finger and grim countenance accused the nightmarish legend more than mere words.

"This is your last chance, Darkrai."

The vengeful Pokémon raised both his arms, summoning a vortex of negative energy above his head. The possessed Trainers lifted off the ground, floating towards the event horizon as Darkrai released a deep and terrible roar!

**"DARK VOID!"**

One voice pierced the darkness!

"Farfetch'd, FORBIDDEN TECHNIQUE: _CHAOS CORE FINAL STRIKE!_"

The area-of-effect attack was now concentrated on a single target. Darkrai was struck once, thrice, then four times, each blow causing the sky, earth and ocean to howl with its fury! The image of the eight-pointed star shimmered in the air where Darkrai hovered. He then collapsed, his shadowy being almost disintegrating. His oppressive aura vanished like mist in the light and high beauty of the morning sun.

The Trainers fell to the sand. The bump woke them up.

"Headache of epic proportions," Hannah reported. She looked a little surprised to see the swath of unconscious Pokémon – including her own – strewn across the battle-torn beach. She hastened to return them. She then patted her shoulders.

"Aw man, my backpack's gone!"

She gave the shore a second glance. Unpleasant memories came flooding back.

"Where did Tori go?"

Hannah walked down the beach calling her name. A feeble whirring of wings caught the girl's attention.

"Tori!" she cried, pouncing the Vibrava half-buried in sand. Joy quickly turned to horrified sorrow as she lifted the creature's battered body. "Oh no! Look at what Darkrai did to you!"

Tori buzzed soft and low, closing her huge green eyes.

"TORIIIIIIIIII!" Hanny wept, hot tears splashing onto the Pokémon's broken antennae. "You escaped from your ball and tried to help me! I couldn't... I couldn't save you!"

Cynthia and Aaron knelt beside Hanny in the sand, hugging her. Their Pokémon gathered round, heads bent with respect.

"We'll get her fixed. Soon she'll be right as rain," Cynthia soothed, helping to cradle Tori's broken wings.

"She's tough," Aaron assured her, resting a hand on the smooth shiny carapace. He nodded, smiling. "Pity she isn't a Bug-type; she'd fit right in."

While Hanny cried into Cynthia's shoulder, Aaron tilted his head. The light of stars reflected in his widening eyes.

"Hanny... look!"

Rainbows glittered about Tori's body. Glowing, she levitated, leaving tender human hands. Breathless, they watched her morph and shift, spreading bright new wings filled with the radiant sunrise.

Vibrava evolved into Flygon!

"You came back!" Hanny whooped. Tori cooed and thudded into her Trainer's embrace, wrapping her much larger wings around the girl. Cynthia and Aaron stood back, laughing, their Pokémon dancing in celebration.

Glitch flew to Hannah's side, holding her backpack in his beak. It, along with Mint's and Manny's, had fallen from their shoulders during the intense battle.

"STATEMENT: YOU LIVE."

Hannah retrieved her belongings with an amused smirk.

"Do I detect an emotional response, Glitch?" she asked, stroking Tori's long slender antennae. Tori purred, rubbing her snub-nose against Hanny's cheek.

"INDIGNANT STATEMENT: YOU WOUND ME, MASTER."

"What is that?" Mint asked, staring at the discombobulated shadow. Palmer rubbed his eyes a few times.

"That's Darkrai, son, what's left of him."

Mint walked to the shadowy morass.

"Hey, are you alright?"

Darkrai spoke, but the hate was gone, replaced by misery.

**"I am tormented by my captivity."**

"Do you want to explore the world with me, instead? You can come with me and all my friends. You don't have to hurt people to get what you want."

Darkrai turned his one blue eye to Mint, but faltered and looked away.

**"I almost trapped you in a dream without end. You would have languished in perpetual Limbo!"**

"Hey, much worse things happened while I adventured with Hanny."

"It's true," Hannah affirmed.

Mint offered his hand to Darkrai. "Come with me, Darkrai. I'll show you the world outside of nightmares. It's a place where you can make all the friends you want, and share their dreams."

Darkrai turned his blue eye to Mint. The sun rose behind the boy, gracing his bright face with a golden halo through his blonde hair. Darkrai groaned. There was no longer blind hatred in his cyclopean gaze; rather, a touch of intrigue.

**"Such human arrogance! I like it."**

Trembling, Darkrai reached for Mint's hand, and found the boy's grasp to be quite firm and reassuring.

Manny's father, meanwhile, bent his head towards Palmer. "I get it, now. Your _son_ is the avatar of the Unconquered Sun. The adventure was here, all along."

Palmer snorted. "You're crazy, you know that?"

"Yeah, but I _admit_ when I'm crazy. _You_ still hang around in a tower the size of a mountain, beating up little kids and their pets."

"And you have a ninja duck who thinks she's a samurai. Are we comparing notes?"

While Mint retrieved his backpack and Hannah checked hers to see if anything had fallen out, Manny shuffled over the sand toward his father.

"Dad, I heard your voice in the middle of my nightmare. What are those moves Farfetch'd used? They wrecked everything! They're too powerful, almost evil."

"It also sounded corny. I mean, seriously? You _had_ to call your attacks such ridiculous names?" Hannah complained.

Farfetch'd looked at the children and quacked with mirth. The boy's father rested one foot on the duck's back. Farfetch'd did not even register the weight.

"The Chaos Star is neither good nor evil. It responds to power and will alone. Farfetch'd spent months learning the most basic kata before Koga even _began_ to train her in its use."

"You think any of my Pokémon can learn it?"

"First of all, the Chaos Star Style is _incredibly _illegal. No League on the planet will permit its signature moves."

"Why?"

"It was designed to be a _killing_ technique. Koga's ancestor, who was a Warlord, developed it during the dark ages when humans used Pokémon to fight wars in the Ransei region. Fortunately, one cannot kill with a leek."

"...Oh," Manny replied, his face paling.

"Secondly, _you_ don't have what it takes, Manny. Not yet. You have not found your true power, or the will to use it. I sensed all these things while fighting you in the Tower."

"How do YOU know?"

His father cracked a grin, setting his other foot upon Farfetch'd's head. The duck jumped, hovering just above the sand, wings beating like a hummingbird's.

"I know, because your mother showed me the source of my strength, and gave me the will to use it. She discovered her own strength and unique will long before I did."

He pointed at Hanny, who was playing tag with Cynthia, Aaron and Tori.

"You see that, son? Unless you understand _why_ her Pokémon evolved, you'll never be a real man."

With that cryptic statement, man and duck sped over the ocean, spreading ripples into the rising sun.

888

The League Trainers said their goodbyes, agreeing to never spend another holiday vacation on an island where a dark god had been imprisoned for thousands of years. Hanny, Manny, Mint and their Pokémon teams recuperated at the Resort Area's Pokémon Centre. After lunch, they related their nightmares.

"I dreamt I was an old biddy in a nursing home. I couldn't get out of bed in the morning without some candy-striper helping me," Hannah recalled, her eyes distant, still remembering the stiff, cracking joints.

Manny told his tale next. "I dreamt I lived in a world without Pokémon. We just had the Internet and video games to entertain us. Oddly enough, there was a Pokémon video game, along with a manga and anime series, but nobody believed me when I said Pokémon were real. My parents wrote it off as a phase in my life."

Mint shared his experience. "I dreamt I was mauled by a wild level 2 Bidoof."

Manny and Hanny stared at him. His face burned bright red.

"Well, I was. I couldn't walk for a few weeks, and my face was kinda messed up. After that, Mom banned me from Pokémon forever. She blamed my Dad for wanting me to follow in his tracks, and they got divorced. I didn't really like Pokémon after that," he said, and twisted his face. "Ugh, that nightmare sucked! Imagine me _not_ liking what I like most!"

"I was in my dream for a whole month," Manny said.

"I was in mine for about that time, yeah," Mint nodded. The boys looked at Hannah.

She was very still, blinking slowly behind her glasses.

"I was in mine for ten years."

The boys's faces fell. Their stomachs dropped somewhere around their knees when they saw the truth in her eyes.

"Oh _Lord_," Manny uttered.

"Hanny, I…" Mint began, but the girl got up and went outside. The boys could not look at each other or speak for a few moments.

Mint shook his head, dazed. "It's not fair."

Manny shook his head, too. "No-one deserves that."


	42. Chapter 42: Dialga and Palkia

The Resort Area seemed abandoned but for the villas. Hannah walked along the verdant path past Manny's villa. She saw Manny's parents by the pool, sunning themselves in their swimwear. Persian and Farfetch'd were frolicking in the water, attempting to outdo each other with splashes. Eventually, Persian became overzealous: with one mighty swipe, she splashed half the pool onto their Trainers. The man and woman spluttered, wiped their eyes, then laughed with their Pokémon.

She walked past Mint's villa. Palmer and his wife were still eating lunch on the veranda. Cresselia and Darkrai were hovering just above the pool, staring at each other, but not in a hostile manner. More than words passed between the lunar duo. Perhaps they were sharing their nightmares and joyful dreams? The pool below them was rippling, forming alien arcane patterns on the surface that twisted and changed with each passing moment. The girl tried to decipher the meaning of the runes: she could almost make out the four-legged shape of some noble creature, but her headache just got worse, so she moved on.

She arrived at one of the villas her parents owned. Her Mom's Dragonite and Dad's Tropius were parked outside, munching their midday meal. The two giants gestured in greeting to their Trainers's offspring, knowing better than to speak when their mouths were full. She waved at them.

"They home?"

Dragonite nodded. He reached under Tropius's neck, plucking one of her fruits, chewing it. Picking Tropius fruit was taboo, but this one had grown up with this Dragonite, as he had with her. They had known each other years before Hanny's birth, during a time when their Trainers were still single, hotblooded and trying to conquer the world.

Hannah announced herself at the front door. Her father called her from his study. He was a professor of entomology, and as such every inch of the walls was covered with anatomical sketches, posters, graphs, charts, evolutionary trees and photographs of Bug Pokémon. Dressed in jeans and a Heracross-print T-shirt, the man was at a standing desk, scratching notes onto paper. He glanced at his daughter before returning to work.

"What've you been up to?"

"Dad, Darkrai trapped me in a horrible nightmare for ten years."

"Oh, that sucks. At least you're safe now. No physical injuries, right?"

"No, but my Vibrava evolved! She's so beautiful. Also I-"

"You better go talk to your mother."

She opened her mouth but thought better of it. Her mother was upstairs, dressed in overalls and gloves, replacing the modern _Yorkshire_ sash window with a much more accessible casement window.

"Mom, what's up?"

"Hi Hanny! I'm renovating this window so that I can mount Dragonite from the second floor instead of climbing onto his back. I'm getting old."

Outside, Dragonite ducked his head at the mention of his name, warm brown eyes the size of tyre rims blinking at them. His Trainer patted his round nose, which filled the window frame. She then bent with her knees to pick up a window, fitting the hinges onto the wall frame.

"Mom, Darkrai captured me and the whole Sinnoh League just now. I had a nightmare –"

"Oh really? I thought humans captured Pokémon, not the other way round!"

"Yeah, it was awful, and my dream –"

"I'm sure you can talk about it with your little friends, dear. Thanks for stopping by!"

Hanny stood there, mouth hung open, before she retreated from the household. The girl walked past Mint's villa, where Palmer was taking pictures of Darkrai and Cresselia still locked in their weird unspoken communion. Mint's mother was washing the dishes. Hannah walked by Manny's villa: his father's Vaporeon, sporting newly regenerated fins, was spewing a steady stream of water to refill the pool, where Manny's parents had joined Persian and Farfetch'd in their play. Johanna splashed water onto Farfetch'd, who was unimpressed and swept a large wave that nearly threw her and her husband out of the pool. Annoyed, Vaporeon froze Farfetch'd solid with a small Ice Beam so that she could finish refilling the pool in peace.

Hannah re-entered the Pokémon Centre. She turned toward the dining area.

"Hey guys, do you wanna –"

The boys were gone.

888

Manny and Mint climbed Spear Pillar's stone stairs, both boys braced against the icy wind of the summit. All of Sinnoh lay before them; the land of their birth. They were not here to sightsee, though. The swirling vortices of blue and pink were still there, residues of the Time and Space gods.

"Pink isn't my colour," said Manny, planting himself like a Sudowoodo before the blue torrent of his chosen vortex, directing Mint to the other amid the boy's protests. The duo held aloft their Adamant and Lustrous Orb. Nothing happened.

"Are we supposed to throw these inside there?" Mint wondered.

**"Manny, if you would permit me?"**

Smoke billowed from Giratina's Pokéball, the shadow coalescing into her spiky serpentine form. She reared back her head, sucking in gales of wind, before releasing an abyssal roar that echoed throughout space _and _time, shaking the mountain and the boys to their knees, half deaf.

"Warn a guy before you do that."

**"Mint, you have something else to worry about."**

Standing in place of the vortices were the Pokémon of Space and Time: Palkia and Dialga, the former of pearl, the latter of diamond. They were agitated, riled up by Giratina's challenge.

**"Summon Azelf and Mesprit!"**

The Lake Pokémon swirled into the air from their Pokéballs, the latter glittering and tracing circles in the air around Mint.

**"We three shall stabilise the space-time continuum so that **_**those**_** two shall not escape."**

**"WHAT TREACHERY IS THIS, GIRATINA?" **Dialga demanded, pawing at the flagstones, leaving small trenches where his adamantine claws passed.

**"This is no treachery. History has, for too long, belonged to the gods. We created this reality, my dear siblings, but **_**this **_**world belongs to mortal humans and mortal Pokémon. These children shall be my witnesses."**

Palkia stomped one leg, rattling the boys.

**"THESE blobs of protoplasm? You would see the **_**limitless**_** crabbed, cribbed and confined by the **_**limited?**_** Are you quite mad, dear sister?"**

Giratina smiled, her golden mandibles fluttering with laughter.

**"Yes, dear brother, I am, but what is madness, but a viewpoint not yet understood? These children will make you understand; it is only when the limited joins the limitless that the ALL will be **_**in**_** ALL."**

Manny brought forth Torterra while Mint roused Infernape for battle. Infernape's great speed had the initiative, walloping Palkia with Brick Break. Dialga tried to squash the much smaller Torterra with Iron Tail, but that was one turtle which would not be trodden underfoot! Torterra latched onto the burnished tail with Bite, dug all four feet into the ground, then tossed his muscular head, forcing the titan to lose balance in two legs. Dialga fell over, more surprised than hurt, but the hurt came when Torterra used Earthquake, squashing the legendary dragon underfoot.

Palkia responded to Infernape's punch with a single Hydro Pump, defeating him in one blow.

"Ah-HA! A _Water_ Dragon! That would make you weak to…"

Mint returned Infernape, already flinging another ball with his free hand.

"GARCHOMP! _DRAGON RUSH!_"

Mint's fully evolved Ground Dragon was a blur of claws and teeth, driving into the much bigger Palkia, rending, tearing and gouging with such ferocious abandon that the god flinched. Dialga, remembering that he could fly, took to the firmament, launching an Aura Sphere at Torterra. Like a planet enduring a meteor fall, the turtle endured the brutal volley, but Manny had other plans.

"Torterra, return! Keira, GO! Use CLOSE COMBAT!"

The Staraptor was a spear hitting its mark, exploiting a fatal weakness of the Steel Dragon. Dialga faltered, fumbled and fell, breaking flagstones, his knees wobbling. Manny tossed an Ultra Ball. Palkia suffered yet another Dragon Rush, falling back, breaking several rock columns. Mint tossed an Ultra Ball.

The dragons disappeared inside the devices. They broke out, of course, angrier than ever. Dialga breathed in, sucking in a few nearby clouds to unleash his signature move, 'Roar of Time'. His voice shattered not only the sky but the fabric of time! Keira would surely have been lost somewhere in the infinite corridors of Time had it not been for the presence of Giratina, Azelf and Mesprit, who repaired the rift, keeping the timestream firmly intact. The Staraptor was, however, utterly defeated. Palkia's voice, known as 'Spacial Rend', tore the fabric of reality! A gaping hole - where the world should be - formed around Garchomp who, being made of mere matter, could not withstand divine retribution. While the Ground Dragon fainted, the godlike observers repaired the damage Palkia had done, refilling the hole in the universe.

Manny was not done yet. "Rapidash, go all out! _FLARE BLITZ!_"

Mint was grinning. "Electivire, this is your time! _THUNDER PUNCH!_"

Twin collisions sent both dragons skidding backward, but still standing! They breathed, their chests heaving with effort, their muscles quivering with exhaustion.

**"We… will not… yield!"** Dialga snarled.

**"To be captured… is… disgrace!"** Palkia spat.

Two Ultra Balls flew. Again the dragons broke out. Again they used their signature moves. Again the mortal Pokémon fell. Again the silent observers repaired the tears in space-time.

"Vaporeon, _ICE BEAM!_" Manny shouted, one finger stabbing toward Dialga.

"Espeon, _PSYCHIC!_" Mint yelled, performing his monkey dance.

The dragons fell to their knees, struggling upright. Two Ultra Balls flew, but blasted open as quickly as they closed. Two divine attacks defeated two mortal Pokémon. Three quiet observers repaired the damage done to the world. Two mortal Pokémon rose to take their place.

"Alakazam, _PSYCHIC!_" Manny commanded.

"Togekiss, _AURA SPHERE!_" Mint directed.

The dragons knelt, stupefied. They looked into the boys's eyes. They saw no signs of fear, sadness, or anger. They saw naught but determination. In a curious shared conscience, the dragons knew that they would keep standing up, breaking free, injuring the offending Pokémon and damaging the world. However, they also knew that the children would send more Pokémon, then heal their injured to carry on the fight. They knew their sibling Giratina and the Lake Pokémon would repair any damage dealt to the thin veneer of reality. But most of all, they knew that the children were after them. The mortals would not stop.

**"Palkia… I think… in these two, there is more than mere protoplasm."**

**"Indeed, Dialga, there is… **_**something…**_**"**

Two Ultra Balls flew. Two Ultra Balls wiggled from side to side, then were still.

_The battle belonged to Manny and Mint!_ The Trainers had captured the complete Creation Trio!

Manny's cellphone rang just as he picked up Dialga's Pokéball.

"Hello?"

_"Where are you morons? I'm in Victory Road, trying to get onto Route 224!"_

"Oh hi Hanny, we just captured Dialga and Palkia."

_"I don't care! Come help me explore! Tori needs EXPERIENCE!"_

"Okay, be right there!"

Manny explained the situation to Mint. The boys watched their newly captured Pokémon teleport away to their PC's.

**"So, that's it?"** Giratina asked.

"Yep."

**"No speech?"**

"Nah."

**"Perhaps some words of wisdom, then?"**

"What's the point?" Mint asked, waving his arms. "We've got to go help Hanny!"


	43. Chapter 43: Flower Elysium and Gardenia

The boys entered Victory Road from the Pokémon League exit, heading east through the cave until they found Hanny at the easternmost wall where a new pathway awaited them.

"We didn't explore this tunnel before. Let's head in," she invited them. On the other side, they found a young girl wearing what appeared to be a Goth French Maid outfit. Her smooth black hair was slicked over the left side of her face, decorated with a white bow.

She said nothing at first, averting her eyes. Then, in a low soft voice, "I'm Marley. You are…?"

They introduced themselves.

"I want to get through this cave, can I come with you?"

They assented. Marley appeared indifferent.

"Pokémon shouldn't be hurt… I'll heal them."

She summoned a handsome Arcanine that Hanny about swooned over.

"Ohmygoshhe'ssobeautifulIlovehisfuritissosoft! Squee!"

The boys looked between the vibrant gold, orange and red of the flame dog and his pale, black and white Trainer. Opposites attract?

Hanny and Marley led the way, Hanny gibbering to Marley about Arcanine's shiny coat, white fangs and soft paw pads, while Marley said nothing, not even nodding. They soon encountered a Double Battle.

"Tori, go!" Hanny summoned Flygon to face their opponents.

"Arcanine, Helping Hand."

Arcanine gave Tori a High Five, or High Paw, in this case. Hanny blinked.

"That's it?"

"That's it," Marley replied in her flat monotone, not even making eye contact.

"Arcanine doesn't know any _useful_ moves? Flamethrower, perhaps?"

"No."

"Your Arcanine sucks."

"That's your opinion."

"It's the most useless Arcanine that ever lived!"

"Your opinion is noted."

Despite the superfluous flame dog, the Trainers (or rather, Hanny) battled their way to Route 224 in short order. At the eastern exit, into which sunlight shone, Marley paused after healing Tori.

"You're so strong," Marley praised Hanny. "It makes me feel happy… I don't know why. This is a strange feeling… I might like battling with you… just a little; only a tiny bit."

"Have you tried antidepressants, Marley?"

"Yes, but those drugs only make me _more_ depressed."

Route 224 was a narrow peninsula surrounded by reefs. The Trainers traversed grass fields broken by rocky cliffs and sandbars. It was small and cozy, a place where a Trainer might spend a quiet evening reading or splashing in the gentle waves. At least, that is what Marley thought of it.

"I come here often to be alone. There are Trainers here, but they leave me alone. They won't leave you alone, though; get ready for battle."

The girls fought Ace Trainers and Psychics, among others, until they arrived at the northeastern tip of the peninsula, crowned with a huge white rock. Its surface was unmarked and so polished that they saw their faces.

"That stone tablet… it has a strange feel to it. You see, I got this letter…" Marley explained, showing Hanny a letter filled with Professor Oak's handwriting. "He instructed me to come here, saying that I had been invited… I don't understand."

The boys climbed all over the rock, getting muddy footprints on its smooth face. Hanny stared off over the sea at the mainland. Marley touched the rock, but nothing happened.

"Hullo, children!"

Professor Oak approached the quartet. They all waved at him. No-one bothered to ask where he'd come from; he was, after all, _the _Authority, and went where he wished.

"_Quo vadis_, Oak?" Manny enquired.

"I will explain the myth of this rock: any Trainer may inscribe upon it what they are most thankful for."

"That's it?" Hanny prompted.

"That's it."

"It's not much of a myth. It sounds like Stone-Age graffiti."

"Try it, then!"

Marley went first, kneeling to pick up a smaller rock, using it to scratch a word onto the mirror rock. The other Trainers and Oak respectfully kept their distance while she wrote, then hazarded a glance at the rock when she stepped back: her writing had vanished! When Manny walked forward, Mint looked over his shoulder.

"Quit it!"

"I wanna see!"

"No!"

He pushed his left hand into Mint's face while writing with his right. The blonde boy flailed until Manny let go, but by then his writing had also disappeared.

"Fine then. I'm not showing you what I'm gonna write!"

"I don't even want to see!"

"Fine!"

"FINE!"

Mint scrawled something, then let Hanny go next. She scribbled a bit, then stepped back to gawk: the ocean north of them heaved upward as something very, _very_ long, stretching to the horizon, lifted out of it. It appeared to be a very narrow, straight, flat path, still dripping with seawater, leading from the white rock to… where?

Marley stepped onto the new path. On her first step, flowers exploded into life! Blue, orange, yellow, red… every colour of the spectrum marched forth in a flowery parade to the horizon, their petals dancing on the seabreeze.

"Seabreak Path," Oak whispered. "I have been here before, long ago…"

The younger Trainers, however, were not listening to the old man. They had all mounted up: Manny and Hanny on Rapidash and Zeke, Mint on his bicycle and Marley on her Arcanine, zooming northward to new adventure, scattering petals onto the waves.

"Where does this lead to, Professor?" Manny shouted behind him.

Oak cupped his hands over his mouth to reply, "Paradise! The Flower Elysium!"

888

The Flower Elysium was, indeed, a flower paradise, even moreso than Floaroma Town. The luxuriant scent wafted around them, lulling their senses with chemical bliss. They climbed the small hill, half-drowsy with wondrous Nature's perfume. Upon the crest was a curious little thing. Its tiny, four-legged body was radiant white, its back covered in green fur, with two gorgeous pink flowers on either side of its cute button nose and beady eyes.

Marley recognised her. "Shaymin. We met before, when Team Rocket tried to capture you…"

The miniscule creature, no higher than Marley's shin, nuzzled said shin, cooing. Hanny fell to her knees amid the flowers, one trembling hand reaching for the little being.

"Can I touch…?"

"If Shaymin allows you, yes."

One finger stroked the green fur. Shaymin gave the tiniest purr. Hanny emitted a subsonic "SQUEE!" that caused Arcanine to flinch.

"In all my life I have never encountered a creature so sublime in its cuteness."

"Shaymin likes you."

"Well, that settles it. I'm gonna capture you, Shaymin!"

Marley blinked. "Shaymin is a Nature spirit. It cannot _be_ captured."

"I beg to differ. Shaymin, if I prove my strength, will you let me capture you?"

Shaymin shook its head.

"You must present an offering," Marley explained, "for Nature does not bow to strength alone. As a farmer must plant seeds to reap a harvest, so too must you offer Shaymin a gift if you would demand its service."

"I see."

Hannah unslung her backpack to pull out a bamboo flute.

"This," she explained, "is a _hotchiku_; a Japanese end-blown flute. When Darkrai imprisoned me in my dreams as an old woman for ten years, I spent my first few days feeling sorry for myself. Even so, I had to find something to occupy my mind. In the nursing home there was a _hotchiku_ player who was even older than I was, and he taught me to play. After seven years, he had taught me all the songs he knew, even the ones he himself had composed. He died, and I decided to make my own songs."

Hannah smiled a sad smile. The boys were rapt at attention, because Hannah _never _spoke about herself.

"I found the flute in my backpack some time after I woke up. I do not know how it moved from my dream to reality, but then again, what is reality, but what we make of it?"

Hannah raised the flute to her lips, her fingers moving into position from muscle memory – or was it dream memory? A rough, breathy timbre flowed from the flute, woven by Hannah's fingers into a raw, organic melody befitting the instrument. The music moved her audience through the sadness of loneliness, buoyed them on the happiness of finding a friend, cast them into the despair of losing that friend, then left them washed ashore with the small hope another friend would be found.

"This is my song," Hannah said, holding the flute carefully in her hands.

There was not a dry eye among her audience, not even Shaymin's.

Hannah knelt before the Nature god, placing the flute at his tiny feet. Shaymin focused on Hanny. His expression, though painted with tears, was stern, but her eyes were filled with determination. They locked gazes for a full minute before Shaymin nodded.

Marley wiped her eyes, then gave them room to fight. She struggled for words, but found them: "Thank you… you helped me see Shaymin again. This Pokémon conveys feelings of gratitude in a nice way, so I'll have to convey thanks in my own words, too."

She gave Hanny a slight smile that, for once, was _not_ creepy.

"To you… Thank you."

She waved goodbye, mounted Arcanine, then was gone. Hannah picked up her flute. She stored it safely in her backpack before beginning the battle. Manny and Mint looked at her with wonder, seeing her as _more_ than a girl for the first time.

"Zeke, let's go! Flame Wheel!"

As predicted, Shaymin was weak to Fire-type moves, but also possessed fortitude beyond your average Pokémon! He responded with Synthesis, absorbing sunlight to regenerate all injury suffered from the fiery assault.

"Flamethrower!"

Cringing from the flames, Shaymin then fired a Magical Leaf that smacked Zeke to the ground. Undaunted, the fire horse obeyed the command to use Flame Wheel, tackling the much, much smaller Grass-type. Shaymin used Synthesis again, healing all injury. Thus the battle went, Zeke using either Flame Wheel or Flamethrower until Shaymin had exhausted himself, unable to self-heal. He tried to use Leech Seed, but Zeke's fiery aura burnt it off before it could take root.

"Ultra Ball, go!"

Even on his last legs, Shaymin broke out of thirty-seven Ultra Balls until he surrendered inside the thirty-eighth, which wobbled to a halt, its button giving off that most satisfying flash of light and low triumphant musical note that indicated a successful capture.

Hannah ran to retrieve her trophy. "I shall name you Scooter!"

"Congratulations. Now what?" Mint asked.

Hanny got a mischievous look on her face. "Now we go to Eterna City, see Gardenia and prove those silly old people wrong. Scooter would never curse them!"

888

"What do you mean, Scooter cursed you?"

"That's what we told you last time!" the Underground Man wheezed.

The old folks of Eterna were gathered at the entrance of Gardenia's Gym. The Leader was there, her face drained of all colour as she stared at Shaymin cradled in Hanny's arms.

"This is ridiculous. I don't believe you."

_"It's true."_

"Gah! Who thought that?" Hannah demanded, for she had not heard those words with her ears, but in her mind. Everyone else had 'heard' the voice in their head, too.

_"I did."_

"Oh, it's you, Scooter."

_"These children disrespected Nature. Have you children learned to respect Nature?"_

Performing his monkey dance, Mint said, "You shoulda seen their Underground bases! Filled to bursting with plants 'n flowers. Hey, just look around you! Trees, flowers and stuff everywhere in this city. Oh, and its forest is _huge!_ Gardenia couldn't have done this all by herself!"

_"You speak the truth; I see it in your minds. Eterna sings with life!"_

"Please reverse the curse, Scooter. It's not nice."

_"Very well, Hannah. Manny, please let me borrow Dialga."_

"Yes sir, Mr. Scooter!"

The Time Dragon flared to its full splendid height from Manny's Ultra Ball, eliciting cries of fear and wonder from the old folks. Dialga had to crane his neck to see Shaymin, who was the size of one of his eyes.

**"Hello, Nature god."**

_"Greetings, Time god. Let us reward these children for their long years in service to my cause."_

Dialga sucked in air until his steely chest swelled, roaring for all of Time to hear. In the rippling waves of Time, they watched the houses around them rapidly transforming from tall, colourful structures to flat, black-and-white squares of an era long past. Indeed, the very earth and sky lost all colour, taking on the same flat monotone appearance as everything else, even the humans! Leaves, grass and flowers moved by Shaymin's magic swirled around Gardenia and the old folks. Colour and depth returned to the world when the air cleared and all was silent. A crowd of children surrounding the Underground Man and one bent old woman remained.

"Was that display necessary?" Hanny asked, unplugging her fingers from her ears.

**"No. We do it for dramatic effect."**

"Who are these kids? And that lady?" Mint wondered.

_"If you would take a moment to notice, they are still wearing the same clothes."_

The children _were _wearing oversized trousers, shirts, skirts and blouses. They jumped for joy, screaming with delight.

"Young! Young again!" a little girl shrieked. The others joined her:

"No more arthritis!"

"No more Parkinson's!"

"No more tapioca pudding!"

"Cyrus must have sent them!"

"Unbelievable," the Underground Man uttered, his ancient eyes blinking back tears.

"So that is Gardenia," Manny surmised, staring at the old crone. "She was this age back then?"

_"Yes. Eternal youth was the price she paid to curse these children."_

"Is there any way to help her?" one of the little girls asked Shaymin, tugging at one of his little feet. Shaymin frowned.

_"_Help _her? After she doomed you to eternal old age?"_

"Oh gosh, when she did that, she was just throwing a tantrum, is all, and besides, we're fine now. It's not fair for her to be old, after being young for so long."

Gardenia began to cry, her old woman's tears tracing the wrinkles on her cheeks.

Shaymin's frown softened into a beatific smile. _"Every time the evils of this world make me bitter and sad, it is the gratitude and forgiving nature of children – both Pokémon_ and _human – that remind me life is worth living."_

Dialga did not help this time. Leaves, grass and flowers swirled around Gardenia alone. The light of the Sun beamed out of the old woman, who shrank smaller and smaller within the magical vortex. When the wind hushed, a wee little Budew waddled on its stubby legs out of the green cloak and tattered orange pants that once belonged to its human form.

_"Redemption has come to this Gym today. Legends speak of humans and Pokémon switching roles, one species sometimes masquerading as the other. What you all witness here is _the truth:_ your species are inextricably linked, as the Moon follows the Sun, and Night follows Day."_

"Budew!" Gardenia squeaked, before jumping three feet in the air and skittering into the forest. The remaining humans were shocked beyond words.

"She'll be all right, then?" Manny blurted at last.

**"Yes. She will evolve into whatever she wishes. She will age, no longer cursed with endless life."**

"Man, it'll be funny if she evolves into a Roserade," Mint snickered, earning him a punch to the shoulder from Hanny.

Scooter yawned. It was the cutest, tiniest yawn in history. _"I am weary," _he admitted.

**"You've grown weak, old man," **Dialga taunted.

_"You're no spring Combusken yourself!"_

The smaller children scampered off the play in the Underground while the Underground Man rushed home to update his _Facebook_ of the fantastic happenings he had seen today. Manny returned Dialga to his portable form and followed Hanny, Scooter and Mint to Eterna's Pokémon Centre for a well-deserved rest.


	44. Chapter 44: Elemental Plates

Professor Oak was spending a relaxing evening at the Pal Park on Route 221. Lounging in an armchair on the second-floor deck, he drank in the calm vista of tall grass and ponds nestled among the swaying trees. In the distance, Wingulls floated over the lazy sea, fat with fish dinners. From his warm teacup, the citrus aroma of bergamot lulled his senses. All was well… until he started hearing a voice.

_**"Unification."**_

Professor Oak put down his cup of Earl Grey.

"Yes? Hello?" Oak said, looking around to see whether a Pal Park attendant had spoken. He was alone… but for the Voice.

_**"You possess the instrument of unification. Send it to the child."**_

"I'm sorry, I don't follow orders from people I can't see; it's not good science."

_**"You have built your life around curiosity. Why are you not curious, now?"**_

"I wish to protect the children, not give them a weapon."

_**"All things have the potential to be weapons."**_

"Yes, but _you,_ most of all! I have not forgotten your involvement in human history: you use people, then discard them."

_**"They betrayed me."**_

"I will not betray the children by exposing them to your influence."

_**"Very well; you have chosen. You have forfeited your place in the new world."**_

"That's fine. I like this world."

The Voice left him. Professor Oak sipped his tea. His heartbeat was slow and steady. He was too old, had seen far too many things to be scared anymore.

888

Manny woke up in Eterna's Pokémon Centre with a headache. He had had a vivid dream. He related it to his peers over breakfast.

"We gathered all sixteen elemental Plates and were standing on Spear Pillar. When you put the Plates together they form the image of a Pokémon… I've never seen its likeness before, but it looked like Dialga crossed with Darkrai."

"Now there's an interesting breeding possibility," Hannah commented deadpan.

After breakfast the Trainers unloaded the Plates onto the table. So far they had only collected the Mind, Fist, Iron, Icicle, Insect and Dread plates.

"I am not scouring Sinnoh for the other ten," Hannah declared.

Mint powered on his Pokédex.

"It's okay! I joined Internet social networks while we were adventuring, and added EVERYBODY we came across! I'll just tell everyone we're looking for the plates; the ones you find in the Overworld, not Underground!"

"That will never work," said Manny.

Manny was wrong. Mint truly had _everyone_ on his social networks.

"Why did you send the request to me?" Manny complained a minute later.

"You can never be too thorough!"

"But I just… _I'm_ the one who told you… ugh, nevermind."

Mint's Pokédex beeped, insisting he pay attention to his online life.

"Good news! Everybody who found a Plate is on their way here! We better stick around, you guys."

That day, the Plates arrived one by one.

The Earth Plate arrived with Jasmine and Mira. The girls descended from the sky, a shiny new Magnezone using Magnet Rise to control the gravity around them. The Olivine Gym Leader had perked up, smiling and holding their hands when she landed to meet them.

"Manny, I met Mira as you suggested. We explored Sinnoh, defeated wild Pokémon, Trainers and Gym Leaders together. I am no longer alone thanks to you."

Little Mira waved her hands. "Jasmine is the best! We traded each other's favourite Pokémon! Now I have Alakazam!"

"I have Magnezone! Magnemite evolved into Magneton by helping Mira in battle, then he evolved again while we were fighting Trainers inside Mount Coronet!"

Manny beamed, his heart warm. "That's perfect. I am happy for you both."

Mint and Hannah shared similar sentiments.

Jasmine pressed the warm metal plate into Manny's hands. "You deserve this Earth Plate, for you have given me the world by helping me find friendship."

Manny read the engraving on the plate: _'The powers of plates are shared among Pokémon'._

Moments later, Mr. Aoi arrived aboard his Swellow. He handed a Meadow Plate to Hannah. "I found this plate north of Solaceon just after you were born, Hanny."

"What's written on it?"

"Written? It has no writing."

Hannah took it from him. "It clearly reads, _'The rightful bearer of a Plate draws from the Plate it holds'._"

"Odd. Perhaps it was intended for you."

"But we can see the writing, too!" Mint spoke for himself and Manny.

"Then I am glad you have it. Happy trails, children!"

He flew off.

Hannah frowned at Mint. "How did _you_ befriend him? You never even spoke to him."

"Easy, I added the entire Pokémon League and subsidiary groups to my network."

She nodded with raised eyebrow. "You _are_ thorough!"

Mint's jaw dropped. "Oh my gosh! You complimented me! Manny, did you hear?"

"I heard. Enjoy the feeling while it lasts."

Hanny punched Mint in the shoulder.

"OW! The feeling's gone, Manny!"

There was a small rumbling below them, then The Underground Man's head popped out of the floor of the Pokémon Centre.

"Hey! You'll have to pay for that!" Nurse Joy shouted.

"I'm sorry! I just came here to deliver this Draco Plate!"

"We don't want the Underground plates," Manny corrected him.

"I found it behind the Pokémon statue in Eterna City, long before Cyrus was born. I have kept it ever since, to remind me that there are more mysteries in this world than I will ever solve. You three, however, helped lift the curse on Eterna's ancient children. You are great heroes! You deserve this plate, imbued with the spirit of dragons."

Mint inspected the engraving. "Weird; it says the same thing the Mind Plate said."

"Only eight messages, huh?" Manny pondered. "They talk about the six Pokémon of Spirit, Time and Space, along with the 'Original One' who created them. Perhaps the messages point to that creator? Is that the Pokémon whose image I saw in the dream?"

The Underground Man escaped into his hole without paying for the damage to the Pokémon Centre floor (much to Nurse Joy's chagrin).

Manny's mother arrived, riding Persian as though the large cat were a Rapidash. She handed him a Spooky Plate. "Your father and I were taking a walk in Amity Square when we found this plate corrupting the minds of baby Pokémon. We didn't think much of it, but here you go!"

Manny muttered under his breath.

His mother leaned closer, touching his shoulder. "What was that, hun?"

"I don't get how you can be with him after the way he treated us!"

"Oh Manny, I don't expect you to understand love until you've experienced it. Just trust your mother, okay?"

"Mother knows best," Manny grumbled.

Johanna rode off on Persian, waving to him. He did not return the farewell gesture.

Mint leaned closer to Manny. "Still sore about that, huh?"

"Shut up, Mint."

Hannah said nothing. She did, however, greet Riley and his Lucario.

The handsome man offed his hat, nodding to the Trainers. "We found the Stone Plate inside Mount Coronet while training. We love to play in its subterranean waterfall after a hard day's work. Come train with us sometime, Hanny!"

"I will! Thank you, Riley! Thank you, Lucario!"

Hanny hugged them both, careful to avoid Lucario's chest spike. After they left, neither boy dared make any snide comment on her relationship with the older man.

Volkner showed up. "Would you believe this thing was just lying in front of the Lighthouse? People throw away valuable things so carelessly. I am grateful you did not throw your battles with me! Victory and defeat are precious only if given your all!"

A young woman dressed in an expensive business suit approached them. Nobody recognised her but Mint.

"Alexis!"

"Who?" Manny and Hanny chorused.

"She's the girl who sold us Lava Cookies in the basement of Veilstone's Mega Mart. I didn't even ask her her name at the time! Good thing I found her online!"

The dowdy, shy salesclerk was now a sophisticated, outgoing businesswoman with her winning smile, professional makeup and brand-name perfume. "Mint, I did as you suggested. I stuck posters everywhere, advertised in all the local newspapers and went on Jubilife TV to sell Lava Cookies. I cleared the entire inventory within one week! When I told her about it, the brand owner made me Regional Manager!"

She handed the Splash Plate to him.

"I made so much money that she gave me paid vacation leave! I went to the beach in Sandgem and swam with friends. Swimming along Route 220, I found this plate on the first sandbar we came across. I kept it as a souvenir, but now I'm so glad I can finally repay you!"

Alexis hugged Mint with all her might, causing the boy to blush redder than a Voltorb.

"I love you _so much_. I would be nothing without you. Thank you, Mint!"

The _second_ she left the Centre, Hannah and Manny jeered at him.

"You have a girlfriend!"

"I'M NOT HER BOYFRIEND!"

Their torment was relentless!

"Girlfriend! Girlfriend!" Manny poked him in the shoulder.

"I spoke to her ONCE before!"

"I didn't know you were into older women!" Hannah laughed, causing Mint to hold his head in despair.

"AUUUUUGH SHUT UP! I'M NOT OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE A GIRLFRIEND! MOM SAID SO!"

They were still poking him and reveling in sweet, cruel laughter when Aaron arrived. That shut them up.

"Hi Aaron!"

"Hi Hanny!"

They embraced. The boys again kept their silence. Their silence was fear of the grave.

"After our fight outside the League, I found this Sky Plate among the ruins of the battlefield. You really have soared since I first met you, Hanny, from obscurity to League Champion."

"One of many such Champions," she nodded, looking at Manny and Mint who, again, said nothing. Aaron left them in peace.

The insect repellant salesman from the Great Marsh walked into the Centre. "Good morning, children! You're not the only ones who tramped around that smelly swamp; I used to be a Pokémon Trainer too, y'know! Here you go, for being such fine customers!"

He passed them the Toxic Plate.

"So, how has my miracle product worked out for you?"

Hannah gave him a thumbs-up. "The boys never used it after they left the Marsh, but I've worn it almost every day. My skin loves it."

Scooter popped out of his Pokéball. The salesman got down on his hands and knees before the Nature god, but not in worship.

"You! I've seen you around the place where I collect my miracle repellant!"

_"You smell like me, mortal man. Do you know why that is?"_

"No?"

_"That repellant is my dung."_

Hannah screamed and ran for the showers. Later they discovered she had applied the repellant right after her morning ablution. Manny and Mint were nonplussed.

Mint gave a thumbs-up. "Your dung is amazing."

Scooter nodded equably. _"I expend enough energy to terraform entire planets. As such, I need to eat a _great_ deal. You, my good man," _he addressed the salesman,_ "I am glad you found a use for my droppings beyond fertiliser."_

"I honestly had no idea, oh great and powerful Shaymin. I knew the miracle repellant had something to do with your benevolent presence, but not so… directly."

_"That is fine. Carry on with the good work."_

The salesman appeared nervous. "Um, boys? You're not going to tell, are you?"

"We have learned not to say anything that would cast Hannah in a humiliating light," Manny told him.

"That would be worse than being slathered in dung," Mint agreed. "But tell us one thing: how on Earth did you gain access to the Flower Elysium?"

"When I was around your age, I spent my days adventuring, too. At one time I was sitting on the Mirror Rock north of Route 224, thinking of how happy and grateful I was to be free and alive. Next thing I know, there's a magic bridge rising out of the ocean. I followed it and found the, uh, _repellant_ gathered in one neat spot off the edge of the cliff. It smelt so good that I tried it on. Like Hannah, my skin felt wonderful, too. The rest is history."

After that entertaining story, the boys were left alone to receive their final visitor: Buck.

"Hey guys, you were too impatient! You didn't explore Stark Mountain well enough!"

He gave them the Flame Plate.

"I went back in there after the volcano calmed down. I used my superior Ranger skills to find this plate!"

Manny arched an eyebrow. "You mean your Dowsing Pokétch application?"

Buck pouted. "Well, yeah, that helped _a little_ I guess."

"Thank you for your help. Now we have all the plates we need."

"What're you going to do with them?"

"Take them to Spear Pillar to summon a god."

"Smokin'. Well, I gotta go! Me and Flint are gonna challenge the Battle Tower!"

"Good luck!" Mint cheered him. Manny mumbled in halfhearted support. By the time Buck left, Hannah was back from her shower.

"Did that disgusting man leave yet? I want him to have a conversation with Glitch."

Manny defended him, saying, "He's gone to make more money. We're not telling,"

Hannah's face contorted with disgust. "You boys are so nasty! You didn't even react when he said it was excrement!"

"That's because we're _boys_," Mint explained.

Hannah shook her head and sat down. "Thank goodness I'm not one. Did you get all your treasure?"

"We sure did. We're off to fulfil my dream!"


	45. Chapter 45: Arceus

Atop Spear Pillar they pieced together the sixteen-Plate puzzle.

"Nnnno, that part goes here, and this goes there, and that goes where? Oh, I see it now," Manny mumbled to himself as he put the final Plate in place. The trio stood back, searching the Sinnoh vista and sky above with their eyes.

Nothing moved.

Manny sighed. "Well, that was underwhelming."

"Was there anything else in the dream?" Mint asked.

"Nuh-uh."

Hannah's roaming eyes spotted something long, thin and blue jutting out of a crack between the flagstones. She dug out a small bamboo flute, though unlike her natural brown _hotchiku_, this one had been dyed sky blue.

"Guys, I found this, it's just like my flute: same shape, weight and finger holes. This is statistically impossible; no two flutes are alike, because no two bamboo shoots grow the same way, nor can they be carved in the exact manner!"

"Another dream flute?" Manny wondered. "Wasn't in _my_ dream."

Hannah began playing her song on it, and was astonished to hear and _feel _the identical quality of musical notes. The same sadness, joy, despair and hope flowed from this flute in a haunting rendition. When the song ended, Manny's Pokédex beeped: it was a call from Professor Oak. He put it on speakerphone.

_"Manny, my laboratory in Pallet Town was robbed! I just got the call from Delia when she visited there to feed Ash's Pokémon!"_

"That's terrible, Professor, but shouldn't you report that to the local authorities?"

_"Manny, nothing was taken except the Azure Flute! It is used to summon the legendary Pokémon_ Arceus _at Spear Pillar; the place where he left this world, where you are standing now! DO _NOT_ PLAY THAT FLUTE!"_

"It's… too late for that, Professor," Hannah spoke up. As she said that, the elemental Plate collage of Arceus rose into the air, vanishing into the clouds. In their place, a grand stone staircase appeared, reaching high into the sky, almost out of sight.

_"What's happening now?" _Oak demanded, so Manny put him on videophone and pointed the Pokédex at the magical stairs. _"Oh, no! It has already begun! Children, run away as fast as you can! You must _not_ meet Arceus! You do not know what he is capable of!"_

**"If the children will not come to me, then I will go to them."**

Manny dropped his Pokédex as the Being descended from the sky. It possessed a white, equine body with grey underbelly, whose four pointed feet were tipped with golden hooves. Its long mane, ears and tail swept upward away from its body. Seated on its long neck was an utterly alien, helmet-shaped head whose forehead ended in a golden peak. Its two glittering emerald eyes held deep ruby pupils that peered down at the small children. It had no nose, but a wide mouth that swept across the breadth of its grey, flattened face. Most unusual of all was the golden crosswheel that jutted from its abdomen, barred on either side by golden crescents. Four viridian gems decorated the four points of the crosswheel where the crescents intersected. The sixteen elemental Plates orbited the Being's neck in a wheel formation. The power and majesty exuding from this Pokémon was unlike anything the children had experienced.

**"I am Arceus, the Original One, who gave birth to this universe. The stars fell from my eyes, and the Earth was carved beneath my hooves. From this vantage point, I created Sinnoh, the Lake Guardians and the Creation Trio."**

Its mouth never moved, but its ageless booming voice was audible, even to Professor Oak who stared at Arceus through the Pokédex lying forgotten on the ground.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Arceus," said Mint.

"Why are you here?" Manny asked.

**"The Creeds and Instrument summoned me."**

"You mean the Plates and Azure Flute?"

**"That is what humans call them. The Creeds are the elements I built Creation upon. The Instrument was fashioned when this world was young. One may use it to play the first song I taught humans and Pokémon."**

"Wait, did you say it was _your_ song? I was the one who composed it!" Hannah protested. Arceus smiled.

**"Human girl, when Darkrai trapped you within a nightmare, I was with you. I was the old man who taught you how to play. The song you composed has been played for millions of years by all creatures I touch with my presence."**

"You _tricked_ me?"

**"I showed you the truth: you are not alone, I am here. You should tell your friends the truth of your first dream."**

Fear entered Hannah's eyes.

"No."

**"It is unseemly to lie when your life is transient."**

"Is he talking about the dream you had in the Old Chateau?" Manny enquired.

Hannah looked like a frightened Teddiursa, but she told them anyway.

"That awful nightmare, where no humans and Pokémon existed, was my fault. I owned a powerful Pokémon, the mightiest in the world, but it had no shape or form. It just floated wherever I went, and it did… terrible things. Instead of fighting Pokémon, it _killed_ them, then it killed the Trainer. I _enjoyed_ the killing. The people of this world are such idiots, incapable of the faintest fragment of critical thought! There is no worth in a life unable to examine itself!"

Oak, Mint and Manny were speechless, aghast.

"After a few years of terrorising every Region I could find, my ghostly Pokémon left me. Soon there were no people or Pokémon anywhere on the planet... but the dead are not silent. Their ghosts haunted me wherever I went, accusing me of my crimes. Then my ghostly Pokémon returned to me, to end my own life."

**"Mint, your dream was an extension of hers. While your ultimate fear is being alone, and Manny's fear is being useless, her fear is being guilty."**

"In the nightmare, I thought by killing them, that no-one would judge me, but I was wrong. Judgement surpasses all things, even death!"

For the first time, the boys saw madness in her eyes, a madness born of isolation, loneliness and fear.

"It's your parents's fault, isn't it?" Manny guessed, but Hannah shook her head violently.

"I don't blame them. I would have done the same thing, if I had a child. I want to live my own life, not enslaved to some kid with their own agenda."

"There are so many things wrong with that statement, I can't even begin to count," Mint said, shaking his head. "Hannah, why didn't you talk to us? Why did you lie to us about your first dream?"

"Because you two are morons! This world isn't fair, you know! You have seen the corruption yourself; when confronted with a _world-ending_ event, the International Police sent ONE police officer to investigate the entire incident. That one officer was incompetent -"

"Hey, don't talk about Looker that way!" Mint interjected.

"- so incompetent," Hannah continued, "he hired a bunch of kids to do his work for him. What kind of legal system relies on children to save the world? Adults are supposed to protect kids! Worse yet, this corruption is inherent in every country. People suffer because they do not have the will to band together and improve their situation; they leave their fate to their governments and leaders."

Hannah turned her grim face to Arceus.

"Isn't there _anything_ you can do? Aren't you God?"

**"I am not God. However, I can rebuild this universe to your liking, a place where nobody suffers."**

_"Stop listening to him, children!" _Oak yelled from the Pokédex. Arceus bent his head over the device so that Oak could see the fires burning in his glittering eyes.

**"As I said, mortal man, you have no place in the new world."**

Arceus brought one great golden hoof down upon the device, shattering it.

"Uh, I could have just ended the phonecall, y'know," Manny said lamely. Arceus ignored the boy.

**"Fight me, Hannah. Show me your desire to change this world."**

"Now I'll have to get a whole new National Dex. Gosh!"

"Shut up, Manny. Arceus, I accept your challenge."

Mint's eyes became saucers.

"WHAT? You want to remake creation? It'll just be your nightmare all over again, Hanny!"

**"In the new world, there will be no judgement, for we will **_**be**_** the Law. That is the ineffable right of creators."**

Hannah pulled Orric from her belt and summoned him.

"Earthquake!"

He broke the ancient flagstones below Arceus, causing the god-monster to stumble. Arceus lifted his head, charging a great golden energy ball he shot into the sky. It exploded somewhere high above like a firework, its bright beautiful plumes falling earthward.

**"This is my JUDGEMENT!"**

Destruction rained from the heavens! Hannah crossed her arms over her face to deflect the splintering rocks and blastwave. Orric was caught in the energy torrent that left great gaping craters around Spear Pillar, one of which he crawled out of, breathing hard but able to fight.

"Stone Edge!"

Though battered within an inch of his life, he tackled Arceus, forcing his opponent back. The golden god reared on his hindlegs, smashing both forehooves into Orric's face. The turtle could not recover from that one.

"Orric, return! Go, Minnie!"

The blue fish did not even reach Hannah's knee. Arceus stared down at her from his imperious height, making Minnie feel quite miniature indeed. Her power, however, was anything but.

"Ice Beam!"

A silver stream of wintry wrath issued forth from the tiny creature, knocking her foe's head back. Arceus responded with Earth Power, launching Minnie into the clouds.

"Minnie, return!" Hannah commanded, glad that the Pokéball return function had such extreme range. "Come out, Kipp! Use Thunder Fang!"

The lionhearted Luxray latched onto his enemy's throat with the full force of his bite, conducting a massive electric current through his fangs. Arceus reeled, crying out in pain for the first time since the battle began. Digging his hooves into the rock, he Seismic Tossed his head, slamming Kipp into the ground with the momentum of his body.

"Discharge!"

Using all his reserves, Kipp unleashed a thunderous blast that fixed Arceus rigid, locking up the formidable musculature of the golden beast. Seeing her opponent paralysed, Hannah took her best shot!

"Ultra Ball, go!"

For the first time in his existence, Arceus disappeared within the confines of a Pokéball. Spear Pillar tremored with the energy transfer. The ball shook once, but blew apart, freeing the god-monster from captivity! In vengeance, he trampled Kipp beneath his shining hooves.

"Kipp, return! Get ready, Wise Shitashi: use Hypnosis!"

Owl eyes swirled with psionic force. Arceus's head fell forward, his own eyes dark.

"Now's your chance: use Dream Eater!"

A mass of swirling lights appeared above Arceus's head. Shitashi opened his beak, sucking the dancing lights into his gullet. Then, his eyes bulging, he choked and spat them back out. Arceus emerged from his slumber, his dream expanding into the spiral pattern of a galaxy framing his glorious head. Hannah stared openmouthed, shaking her own head.

"Too big... his dream is too big!"

**"You cannot eat **_**my**_** dream. Neither human nor Pokémon may devour the **_**cosmos itself!**_**"**

Arceus charged angry red energy, firing a Hyper Beam that knocked Shitashi out of commission and almost off this mortal coil.

"Wise Shitashi, return! Zeke, go after him with everything you got: Flare Blitz!"

Scorching stallion met golden god head-on with his strongest offense, bringing both himself and his enemy to his knees on impact. Arceus was still recovering, so Hannah had Zeke perform yet another Flare Blitz. Both combatants had suffered grievous injury at this point, but Arceus was the stronger, and kicked Zeke out of the ring with impunity.

"Well done, Zeke; return! Let us end this, let us end ALL of this, Glitch!"

Her most faithful ally materialised, his swirling eyes an eager shade of red.

"STATEMENT: AWAITING COMMAND."

"HYPER BEAM!"

An energy barrage rivaling Arceus's sent the white deity skidding across the rocky platform. He struggled to rise, to destroy the fatal Porygon-Z, but his hooves would not obey. Hannah tossed about seventeen Ultra Balls before the god stopped struggling against his fate. When the eighteenth ball stopped wobbling and came to rest, its capture mechanism emitting the dull bass note and small soft glow, Hannah strode across the battlefield with Glitch to claim her spoil of war. She held the Pokéball aloft, as indeed she now stood above all life on her pathetic planet called Earth.

"This!" she shouted to Manny and Mint, who were in turn mesmerised and terrorised at what they had witnessed, "THIS is reality! _This_ is victory; MY triumph over the old ways!"

She summoned her Arceus. He knelt before the girl, allowing her to mount him like a common Ponyta.

"This is our time," Hannah continued her gloating. "Now, all things shall be new. But first, I have someone to _take care of_."

Arceus leaped skyward to the east. The boys ran to the edge of Spear Pillar, seeing that Hannah and her newest pet were headed for Veilstone City.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Manny muttered. Mint nodded. They called upon their flying Pokémon for air transport.


	46. Chapter 46: Epiphany

The boys were in sight of Veilstone when a terrible groaning rent the air, as though the Earth itself felt pain. Flying nearer, the deep groan was replaced by a rumbling so intense that the sky vibrated with it. Their flying mounts were forced to land without the city gates. The boys fell flat on their backs the moment they touched ground.

"Earthquake! BIG earthquake! What the heck is happening?" Mint yelled, but the Earth's voice was louder.

With their faces to the sky, they saw the horizon move upward: they stared in pristine wonder as one of the mountains floated into the sky beside Arceus and his rider. Clumps of earth and rocks the size of houses crashed into the hole from which it had been uprooted. It was but one of the mountains of the range bordering Veilstone to the southwest, but its base was the size of the entire city. For a sickening moment, Manny thought Hanny would drop the mountain on the city, burying its buildings, people and Pokémon forever, but Hannah had other plans: the mountain began floating ever higher to the east.

"At least it will be easier to see where they're going," Manny quipped, but Mint smacked him in the shoulder.

"Think of the Pokémon on that mountain, Manny! We have to save them!"

So the boys went airborne again. The mountain paused midway over the oceanic Route 223. Mint wanted to confront Arceus, but Manny got a call on his cell phone.

"Mom?" 

_"Manny! Your father and I are on Sunyshore's northern beach looking at a floating mountain!"_

"I'm on my way! Come on, Mint!"

"But the Pokémon...!"

"They're not going anywhere, Mint! I have to talk to my parents about this!"

They landed a minute later. From their vantage point, the mountain was no bigger than a full moon would be. It had blotted out the sun, so high it was in the atmosphere.

"Mom!" Manny shouted, pushing through the crowd to her. She was dressed in a one-piece bathing suit, her arms dangling limp at her sides as she, Persian and several hundred Sunyshore folk stared at the impossible spectacle.

"Did you do this, honey?" she said in a very frightened voice.

Manny shook his head. "Hannah! She captured Arceus, the god of all Pokémon. Then they just plucked one of Veilstone's mountains and brought it here!"

"Here they come," Manny's father observed. Taking a sip from his Dr. Pepper, he summoned all six of his Pokémon. Arceus landed on the shore.

There was a malevolent gleam in Hannah's eyes. "You!" she said, pointing a finger at Manny's father. "You are a prime example of this world's corruption. You abandoned your wife and unborn son to go adventuring. You gathered great power, you saw the world, but when you returned? You were a _jerk!_ You made the only people who love you, burst into tears!"

The man sipped his drink, saying nothing.

"Today I will demonstrate how powerless you are, you great big jerk. I'm going to throw that mountain into the sea, wiping out Sunyshore with the tidal wave!"

As she said this, the crowd screamed, broke apart and ran, leaving Manny, his family and Mint to their fate. Tori escaped from her Pokéball, took one look at the wild gleam in Hannah's eyes, then flew to Manny's mother. The woman took her in, holding the terrified Flygon close.

"You can run from this, little man, but know YOU were the cause of it, and that you could NOT stop it!"

The man took another sip, cleared his throat. He spoke in the deliberate, forceful way of an adult scolding a naughty child. "I was just lying on that sun chair, enjoying the beach with my wife. You barge in here to frighten lots of people and block our sunshine. You have ruined our vacation. Go home, little girl, and take your glorified Ponyta with you. You are no threat to me."

Hannah's face warped with disgust as she stared into the man's forbidding dark eyes. He was unmoved.

"Famous last words," she spat. Arceus jumped, flying high.

The mountain began falling through the clouds to the sea!

"Run away, coward! We will chase you everywhere you go!"

Manny's father was on the verge of turning to Pidgeot when _something_ on the horizon caught his eye. He gasped, but it was not the mountain that had so transfixed him: he traced his gaze from the horizon to the zenith high _above_ the mountain, tracing with his finger something only he could see.

In the face of annihilation, he cracked a smile. "Then I will stay here," he replied.

He turned to his wife while Manny and Mint stared in shocked silence at the mountain's rapid descent.

"Johanna," he said, tracing the large white letter 'Q' emblazoned on his tee shirt, "I put on this jersey when I began my Pokémon journey because I had questions no-one could answer. Even when I met you and got you pregnant, I still had questions."

With both hands he grabbed the centre of his teeshirt and tore the "Q" in twain with a mighty shout! The boys turned to witness this manly display.

"_I HAVE FOUND THE ANSWER!_ Farfetch'd, hand me your leek!"

The small brown bird quacked with confusion, but obeyed her master. The mountain landed, snatching the surf from the shore as it gathered the ocean to itself. Manny's father began striding forward, his eyes clear and bright, leek in hand. His team followed, loyal to the end.

"Do you _see _it, Farfetch'd?"

The bird shook her head in deeper confusion. The boys and Johanna were also following him because they had nowhere to go.

"I laughed at Master Koga. He told me that there are _universal_ lines of force running through the fabric of _space-time_ that intersect our small planet. People and Pokémon who can see or feel those creases in the fabric of reality can manipulate them however they wish: teleportation, time travel, interdimensional travel... but masters of the Chaos Star Style can focus their will and energy into those lines of force, causing their normal attacks to achieve a _cosmic_ level of power!"

He turned to face his followers. In one of his eyes they saw the image of an eight-pointed star. His voice - nay, his very _soul _trembled with anticipation and awe.

"I can see _one_ line."

The tidal wave was rising over a hundred feet high, backed by the force of an ocean straining for release. Its roar heralded death. Manny's father held the leek at his left hip in an imaginary scabbard, leading with his left foot.

"Master Koga, wherever you are, forgive your slowest student for laughing at you. This technique is beyond forbidden: _CHAOS EPIPHANY SLASH!_"

The leek arced in a perfect line. Nothing happened for a beat.

"What is..." Manny whispered, but his voice and the ocean's voice were drowned by a mightier sound. The sand at his father's feet split in a clean line down the middle. The line traveled at supersonic speed through the ocean, carving a clear gash through the startled waters that leaped out of its path! The implacable wave encountered the irresistible force and with a colossal aquatic explosion was cloven in twain, becoming two much weaker waves.

Finally, miles away from the shore, the mountain split in two neat halves, the titanic walls of stone and dirt forced away from each other by a stronger force of Nature.

"I have seen everything," Manny uttered, sinking to his knees.

"VAPOREON! ALAKAZAM!" his father thundered, "SURF! PSYCHIC!"

Though smaller, the two waves were still tidal waves, capable of wreaking havoc on Sunyshore. Alakazam focused his potent mind on the left wave, forcing it to back down while Vaporean did the same with her supreme aquamancy. They were straining, however, as this _was_ an ocean they were fighting.

"Oh!" Manny remembered, summoning his own, much younger Vaporeon and Alakazam. "Help them out!"

The four Pokémon fought with all their psionic and magical might against the oncoming watery doom.

"Go, Espeon and Togekiss!" Mint commanded, lending their mental powers to the mix, but the waves kept coming. At last, Johanna showed her hand.

"Persian, use Power Gem!"

The elder feline lifted her beautiful head, blazing viridian light issuing from her crimson jewel. From the shore to the ocean, dense earthen walls erupted from the sand at regular intervals, checking the progress of the waves. They busted through the first few walls but thanks to both generations of Pokémon their fury subsided enough for the walls to do their work.

They all collapsed from exhaustion when the ocean, defeated at last, retreated with an angry murmur of rolling waves.

"_WHAT?_" Hannah screeched as she descended with Arceus. "What was THAT?"

Manny's father walked toward her, tossing Farfetch'd her leek. The bird regarded her precious vegetable with awe and wonder, looking between it and the broken mountain at sea.

"That was the spirit of humans and Pokémons united against a common foe. I may be a jerk, Hannah, but you see only me and not the people surrounding me. My wife is the answer I long sought for, and I am sorry it took me ten years to realise that."

"It's okay, love," Johanna replied, tears in her eyes.

Her husband nodded, resuming his dialogue. "Truth is not a riddle, it is not an object to be held; truth is a _person_. I have found my truth in Johanna. Have you found your truth, little girl?"

Hannah's face contorted with rage. "I will find my truth in the new world. Arceus?"

The golden-hooved god leaped skyward, his body crackling with arcane energy.

**"I possess the sixteen Creeds. I will end this universe. I will end YOU."**

"Farrrrrr-FETCH'D!"

Everyone turned their attention to the little brown duck. She was tracing not one, not two, but _eight_ lines in midair with her leek. _Both_ of her eyes held the image of an eight-pointed star!

"You can see the lines of force!" her Trainer laughed. "Are they not _beautiful?_"

"FARRRRRR!" she quacked with fervent agreement, flapping after Arceus with leek held in beak. Her Trainer pointed one finger at her quarry with a flourish.

"Everyone, GO! Help her get there!"

Espeon and both Alakazam, of father and son, used triple Light Screen to deflect the initial Judgement attack away from Farfetch'd. Togekiss, Keira and Pidgeot used a triple Aerial Ace to counter Arceus's Extremespeed tackle. Finally, Garchomp, Luxray and Gyarados used a triune Hyper Beam to counter the same blast from Arceus. Farfetch'd used the recovery period from that all-out assault to perform her ultimate move!

"NOW, Farfetch'd!" her Trainer roared. "DIVINE TECHNIQUE: _CHAOS CORE EPIPHANY STRIKE!_"

Not just Arceus, but the _clouds _were sliced by the first slash, then the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh slashes came in rapid succession, tearing into Arceus and sky. The eighth blow struck the god, who fell earthward with Hannah. In geostationary orbit 35,786 kilometres above, the Jubilife TV satellite was neatly carved into many pieces that later fell earthward as shooting stars.

Her work done, Farfetch'd descended, leaving the mark of the Chaos Star in the cloudy firmanent... but the image was not quite complete.

"The eighth line is missing," Manny's father noted. Indeed, seven lines branded the sky, but the final slash had not touched the clouds like the others, leaving the Chaos Star incomplete.

Indomitable Arceus was on his hooves once again.

Manny and Mint ran to Hannah, who was unconscious, while the man shook his head. "God or monster though you may be, that should have killed you outright!"

**"It would have,"** Arceus conceded. **"But before I arrived on this planet to challenge Hannah, I **_**destroyed **_**the Chaos Star cluster!"**

"What? The Chaos Star is real, and not just a vanity phrase Master Koga used to describe the lines of force?"

**"It **_**was**_** real. The Chaos Star cluster regulated the flow of mental and spiritual energy in this galaxy, allowing Pokémon to evolve and human beings to achieve great feats. The flow of energy was interrupted just at the moment Farfetch'd landed the eighth blow. Had I arrived one moment sooner on this planet, my essence would have been undone by that final strike. Had I waited a little longer for the Chaos Star energies to dissipate, Hannah would not have been in the precise frame of mind to defeat me. I would have bested her in battle, and all my effort been for naught."**

"You schemer! You planned all of this, _everything_, including our battle?" the man shouted.

**"As I said, I am not God. I am, however, the master of manipulation; I can set small things in motion to great effect. Take Hannah, for example. The dreams I showed her, the mental and spiritual torture I inflicted upon her were designed to cultivate her desire to punish people she perceived to be inferior."**

Hannah regained consciousness, shoving the boys away from her as she ran to Arceus. She had not heard his confession.

Her small hands were tender upon his pillar-like legs. "Are you hurt?"

Arceus bent his head, speaking with uncommon gentleness. **"No, Hannah, that man and his Pokémon are no threat to me."**

"Then let us end this."

Mounting Arceus once more, she and her pet hovered upward.

"Come back to us, Hanny!" Mint pleaded.

"Don't do this!" Manny joined in.

Hannah shook her head. Her words held an almost holy conviction: "We will create a new world, a new kind of life. A world where stupidity is punished, not rewarded. A world where cruelty is abhorred, not respected. A world of peace. A world of true life!"

Tears welled in her eyes at the poetry of her newfound power.

"A world where NO-ONE HAS TO DIE!"

She and her pet deity winked out of existence.


	47. Chapter 47: Armageddon

Hannah and Arceus appeared on the moon, wrapped in a protective bubble of atmosphere. The world sat silent above them. This was the first time she had seen the terrestrial ball of blue, green and brown from afar. She wiped her eyes.

"Photographs on the Internet do not do this justice. I have never felt so small in my entire life, not even when looking over the ocean. Also, I think I'm going to throw up from vertigo."

**"Do you wish to continue?" **Arceus asked.

She nodded without regret. "It only looks beautiful from afar. Close up, it's ugly beyond words. Outer beauty is worthless if the core is dead rotten."

**"Understood."**

Arceus lifted his head to speak. His voice was heard by every human and Pokémon on the planet.

_**"You will pass through a door. You will enter a new world. There will be no more suffering, no more death. Humans and Pokémon will live in harmony."**_

Upon the planet, countless trillions of creatures cried out in disbelief at what they were hearing, even though many of them had no ears to hear. A tiny Caterpie chewing a leaf within Viridian Forest had her meal interrupted to ponder the strange and frightening announcement. It was strange because, in her short life, she had not given any thought to either suffering or death. Hidden within her forest home, she had yet to encounter a human being, so she could not understand what all the fuss was about.

On the other side of the country, deep in the underwater trench between Mossdeep City and Sootopolis City, a Cloyster received the announcement with eager anticipation. When this Cloyster had been a wee little Shellder, he had lost family and friends during the near-apocalyptic environmental calamity caused when Kyogre fought Groudon. He had later learned from a passing Wailmer that _humans_ had goaded the god of water and the god of earth and fire to duel. Since that day he had hated humans, and hoped he would see his friends and family again. Now, it seemed his wish was coming true!

The four humans gathered on Sunyshore's northern beach were mortified. Manny and Mint had so much to live for. They had barely begun to explore their planet, much less understand the creatures that lived there. While it was true that Manny's father and mother had suffered in each other's absence for ten years, they had found each other, forgiven each other, and so had found a new lease on life. The Pokémon companions of these four humans, whether within their Pokéballs or resting on the sand, were all of one mind. They all had different histories, loves, hatreds and desires, but they shared a singular passion for life in _their_ world.

The first one to protest was Persian. The elder feline had suffered long in solidarity with Johanna, but did not wish to see the lives of her adopted children snuffed out. She raised her crooning cry, supplicating the heavens for mercy. Manny's father's Vaporeon, shaken to the core by her counterpart's earnest, sorrowful plea, also raised her voice to entreat the Original One for mercy. She had traveled far and wide with her Trainer from the very beginning, had watched him fall in and out of love with Johanna, had dutifully followed him through every region, Gym and League, but had never seen him truly happy until this day. She did not want it to end!

"Arceus," the man spoke, drawing the attention of his wife and child. "Many humans have come and gone during your immortal life. Many sought your presence, seeking to justify their actions with religious fervour. One man even attempted to overthrow you, using the very power with which you saved our world. This day, Arceus, I carved the earth and sea. My Pokémon carved the sky. We oppose you in the name of love."

The man smiled, holding out one hand. Johanna grasped it, holding her son in the other. Manny reached out to Mint, who began to cry as he held his friend's hand. The man reached out his other hand, and Persian placed her paw within his warm, welcoming touch. Persian held onto Tori, whose wing touched Vaporeon, who in turn laid her paw upon Farfetch'd's wing. The man's other Pokémon all connected to each other, then connected to the boys's Pokémon. Togekiss closed the circle, resting one wingtip upon Mint's other hand and weeping with her Trainer for all of creation.

888

Upon the moon, Arceus and Hannah heard the pleas, but were unmoved. Arceus gathered his transcendental energies, channeling them through his voice.

The world ended, not with a whimper, but a roar of triumph. Oceans, continents, crust and magma boiled away into space along with a biosphere of once-living lifeforms as the planetary core detonated, hurling plumes of gold, orange and red into cold, empty, dead space where there had once been a warm globe filled with life.

"Spectacular," Hannah commented. "How silent it is when the world dies."

**"Forgive me for not providing sound effects."**

_**"YOU ARE WRONG, ARCEUS!"**_

Startled, Hannah turned to the sound of the voice. She shrieked. Trillions of ghosts, belonging to both the late Pokémon and human population of the former world, were hovering around them, lead by Giratina herself. She, being the Void incarnate, had been unaffected by something as trivial as the apocalypse. Her draconic brothers, Dialga and Palkia, being Time and Space incarnate, stood with her upon the lunar surface, bristling with fury.

_**"The dead are NOT silent, Arceus!" **_Giratina screamed.

**"There will be vengeance," **Dialga growled.

**"The dead shall be satisfied,"** Palkia snarled.

Arceus laughed in derision. **"You have grown attached to creatures whose lifespans are, to you, what a mayfly's lifespan is to a human's."**

**"Countless billions of humans have come and gone as we looked on, but none as exceptional as our Trainers!" **Giratina declared with pride. **"Not in the five-billion-year lifespan of that dead planet, have I encountered a living being with such a rare combination of compassion and hope as Manny."**

Manny's ghost smiled. It crawled Hannah's living blood.

**"He may have been a consummate fool, but his blind, stupid hope that I could have offspring of my own someday gave ME hope. It is a miracle."**

Arceus shook his head, one of his great golden hooves pawing at moondust. **"Giratina, you disappoint me. You were my first creation, to balance the physical world with the spiritual world. I see that your time presiding over the dead has made you sentimental about the living."**

Arceus drew himself up to his full majestic height.

**"You have brought your army of ghosts to challenge me. Come, and **_**know**_** the true meaning of 'almighty'."**

Part of the great host of the undead made their final assault with all the elements of the universe at their disposal. The others, who wished for the new world, just watched. The energies joined into one supreme rainbow-coloured nova burst that rivaled the moon in size, but Arceus possessed the Creeds; the _foundations_ of all natural elements. The moon was disintegrated under the withering assault, but Arceus and Hannah were unharmed.

**"My turn."**

Arceus raised his voice: space collapsed, and along with it, time. The Sun was the first to go. To the Sun, over one million kilometres in diameter, the Earth is but a boulder at the foot of Mount Coronet.

The galaxy was the next to go. In the galaxy, one hundred thousand lightyears in diameter, there were more stars than there were grains of sand on a beach.

The local group of galaxies disappeared next. To the local group, ten million lightyears in diameter, one galaxy is but a drop of water in a pond.

The galactic supercluster then vanished. One hundred million lightyears in diameter, a supercluster is to a galaxy what a galaxy is to a solitary star.

There were _millions _of galactic superclusters within the universe when its grand cosmic entirety swirled into a single point, disappearing into Arceus's mouth. One could count every raindrop that ever fell upon the Earth and not even _begin_ to number the planets and stars that spin within the Cosmos.

A human being is a very small thing. A unique thing, yes, but so small, it can hardly be said that we exist at all.

Dialga and Palkia dematerialised along with space and time. Now, the Void was all that existed; the negative dimension. Giratina remained with the great spectral host that was once the human race and Pokémon species. Those who had fought tasted despair: what victory was there without a universe to stand upon? In the midst of their great sorrow, one Pokémon soul that had refused to attack went forward.

It was the Shedinja of Hannah's childhood. It passed through distorting space-time, filled with sadness. While the ghosts watched, it approached Arceus and Hanny. They began a psychic conversation that everyone heard in their own language.

**"'Wonder Guard' did not save your brethren. It will not save you,"** Arceus informed Shedinja.

"I was dead before this day," Shedinja replied. "However, I plead for the restoration of our universe and planet."

Arceus scoffed, **"As the Creator, **_**I am**_** the final authority. No creature can persuade me. It would be like the leaf persuading the wind where to blow."**

"Neither leaves nor the winds exist any longer, so I shall plead with Hannah."

Hannah spoke: "Shedinja, you were dead before the world ended. In fact, you were born dead; an empty Nincada shell that a Ninjask left behind. You had no part in life."

Shedinja inclined its head towards her. "Until you came."

Hannah paused. Her face was blank for a moment, but then she frowned. "That was for a brief moment. You were then cast out."

Shedinja bobbed its head. "I did make other friends, as you knew I would. I joined a Shellos, Chatot, Girafarig, Houndoom, and Hippowdon. We traveled all over the world, having adventures together!"

As Shedinja spoke, the five ghosts of its friends appeared beside it. Even without bodies, they glowed with warmth and affection when surrounded by their true companions.

Hannah perceived this, puzzled. She blinked. "How did you travel with Hippowdon's constant sandstorm?"

"Most times I flew above it," Shedinja said, smiling with its friends. "Otherwise I wore goggles and a mask."

Hannah swept her hands outward. "I simply wished to comfort you at that time. I had no idea you would befriend others."

Shedinja wagged from side to side. "You knew. You _believed_ in me."

Hannah balled her fists. "Your friends no longer exist. Belief matters little, now."

Shedinja wobbled on its axis. "On the contrary; belief is all that remains. It is my turn to believe in _you_, Hannah. I believe you will persuade the Creator."

_**"Me?"**_ Arceus scoffed yet again. His voice was like a thunderclap: **"I am the Beast of Judgement. I am the end of life. I am the death of all other gods! What are YOU, creature?"**

Shedinja bowed to its creator. "I am hope."

As the Void dissolved into oblivion, taking Giratina and all other souls with it, Shedinja was the last to fade away.

As the last mortal creature remaining in that universe, Hanny raised her head, contemplating eternity.


	48. Chapter 48: Genesis

Time had ended, and as such there was no way to measure its passage - it could have been a second or an eon - then Hannah frowned.

"Arceus, you are not yourself."

**"I am what I am."**

"Don't give me that existential crap. There is a flaw in your logic: you ended life on my

whim. _I_ would not create life, watch over it for eons, then do away with it on the whim of a creature. Did you not say that no creature can persuade you?"

Arceus fixed her with his ruby eyes. They emitted the only light that remained.

**"You are no mere creature."**

Hannah stood up on his back, pointing an accusatory finger at what would have been his nose. "Lies and deceit! I am as much a part of the created order as you are a part of the uncreated order. Like the laws of physics, those of the uncreated order are incapable of lying. It would be like the law of gravity suddenly deciding it wouldn't hold the Earth together anymore. Therefore, there must be something from the created order that is INSIDE you, corrupting the purity of your uncreation!"

Arceus had to look away from her. **"You... you speak the truth. I have been influenced by Cyrus. I allowed him to integrate with me, for our thoughts are harmonious. We desire the same thing: completion and wholeness of spirit. The created order did not bring completion and wholeness of spirit to either of us, therefore, on your whim, I destroyed it."**

Hannah offered a grim smile. "Tell me, Arceus, how do you plan to achieve wholeness and completeness of spirit without a mirror to search out your faults?"

Arceus ducked his head from her searching gaze. **"How is the created order a mirror?"**

"An artist imprints his or her faults into each work of art."

**"An artist also imprints the best of themselves into their artwork, yet I saw no beauty in creation."**

"Your 'best' is seen in the natural laws that govern the universe. Everything keeps spinning thanks to your skill. However, your faults are evident in the creatures

of the universe. Their spirit is incomplete because _your_ spirit is incomplete."

Arceus was almost groveling at this point. **"I have known this for many eons. It tortures me so."**

Hannah stroked the back of his neck, soothing him. "Creatures, however, are capable of evolution. _You_ are not. Someday, after countless evolutions, your creatures will find the answer to their incomplete spirit. They will be whole. They will be complete. When they find the answer, so will you."

Arceus blinked. **"They may never find the answer."**

Hannah patted his head. He had such a lovely head. "Then I advise you to keep hoping."

Arceus shuddered at those words. He groaned, doubled up as though in labour pains, and emitted a tiny spark of light from his mouth. Cyrus was expelled from Arceus. He was given a human body once more, clothing and all.

Hannah crossed her arms, her victory complete. The man and girl locked stares like Tauros locking horns.

"Hope," Cyrus sneered, "when unfulfilled, leads to despair. I have seen MANY people trapped by hope. They lead miserable lives, unable to find the peace they would have otherwise found by discarding their hope!"

**"Cyrus,"** Arceus said, **"you are not going to fix your incomplete and broken spirit by removing all spirit from the world, or indeed the universe. You fix a problem by working on it, not by ignoring it."**

Arceus lifted his head to regard the null. It was a null, for not even the Void existed any longer. **"Cyrus, how was the universe made?"**

The man cocked his head to one side. "The one that we just destroyed? The most plausible scientific theory is the Big Bang."

**"You are correct. There was a Big Bang: it was my birth cry when I emerged from the Cosmic Egg. The eggshell became all matter in the universe. There I floated, without parents or siblings, without any kind to call my own. Yet, I had form. Whose image was I crafted in? I do not know the answer. Perhaps there is some Supreme Being who laid me and many other eggs that also became universes. Perhaps one day I shall meet my brothers and sisters, each of whom embodies an **

**entire universe. Maybe we will meet our Parents. Who is to say? What matters is that, after listening to and remembering every sound in the universe, I decided to create kind after my own kind."**

"You listened to every sound in the universe?" Hannah echoed in disbelief. It was like a human claiming to have listened to and remembered every sound made upon Earth since his birth.

**"I heard and remembered every vibration made by every atom as they all flew through the void. I even heard the tiny musical notes of protons, neutrons and the quarks within them. I heard the cantata of light and the sonata of darkness. My natural response to all of this sound was to compose my own music."**

"You're a singer?" she asks.

**"**_**I am.**_** My first song was the first created being: Giratina!"**

Arceus bellowed into the null. It was the sound of darkness, death, entropy and ennui. The Void; the negative world, was reborn! From it, Giratina was recreated whole, spreading her vast ebon wings with crimson claws.

**"I live," **she marveled, undulating in the inky space.

Arceus bowed to her. **"Giratina, sing with me, for the second time, the song of your siblings."**

Together, Arceus and Giratina roared into the Void. Together, the beings of Creation and Void sang the song of Motion and Fluidity. It was the song of change and wholeness; the song of Time AND Space, for they are inseperable. Dialga and Palkia sprang forth from sound alone!

**"Time is flowing again,"** Dialga nodded.

**"Space exists, yet it is without form,"** Palkia noted, looked around at the sweeping vista of nothingness.

**"My children, all things are in place for the resurrection of creation itself. Sing with me!"**

Creation, Void, Time and Space sang together in a thunderous roar that echoed and rechoed across the infinite distance. On their first note, their voices ignited stars; sharp pinpricks of light against the black velvet of space. On their second note, the stars swirled together into countless galaxies more numerous than the seeds of flowers that once bloomed in every forest and meadow.

Hanny and Cyrus were surrounded by the stars of one galaxy in particular. The galaxy spiraled on its axis until Arceus singled out a star.

**"We at last have a template for life. Let us call forth the final element: spirit. In the**

**beginning, there was my force of will."**

Each god sang a different note, harmonising until their willpower created Azelf.

**"As my willpower became stronger, I began to feel emotions. Azelf, join us!"**

The five of them each sang a note until Mesprit was born from their chorus.

**"With emotions joined to my will, I felt curiosity. I began to **_**know**_** the universe as I **_**knew**_** myself. Mesprit, let us **_**know**_** your voice!"**

The six unique notes produced _knowledge,_ manifested as Uxie.

Arceus was silent for a time. **"How strange. I expected to fall into eternal slumber, just as I did before."**

**"The souls,"** Uxie explained.

Arceus's eyes flashed like lightning bolts. **"Something HAS changed: innumerable souls dwell within me! Before, I was empty, but now, I am filled with created lives that yearn for their home. Their spirit of longing will not allow me to sleep! We must call forth planet Earth, as it once was!"**

"Are you sure you won't miss anything?" Hannah asked, a smirk on her face. "My ranch in Solaceon has sentimental value."

**"Not one blade of grass will be out of place," **he promised her.

Then Hannah felt the weight of her crime. She knew that chaos would follow memory. "You must restore order. Will we forget everything?" she asked, holding tears in her eyes. "Will we have learned nothing?"

Arceus laughed. His laughter was the music of the spheres. **"You, your friends, all of humanity and all Pokémon will remember everything that happened; the destruction, the creation, all of it. I want my labour to be remembered! Perhaps, after the furore dies down, your two species will learn something from it!"**

"Won't the world go mad?" Cyrus exclaimed.

**"What is the point of a tragedy that nobody remembers? What is the worth of beauty if there is no-one to behold it? We MUST remember. We MUST explore to experience beautiful things. All things good AND bad exist for a reason, because the good AND the bad are both inside us. Your two species will never evolve unless you come to terms with that."**

"Won't everyone hate me and Cyrus?" Hannah wondered, holding her left arm with her right hand. Cyrus raised both eyebrows at the prospect.

**"You two are not so weak that a planetful of hateful humans and Pokémon will bother you."**

"Truly," Cyrus agreed. "It is that incomplete spirit I sought to remove altogether."

Hannah shrugged. "I could care less what people think. I'll have Glitch blast them all," she nodded, removing Glitch's Pokeball from her belt, summoning the Pokemon in question. He was rather indignant:

"STATEMENT: I FIND THIS WHOLE 'CREATION' BUSINESS TO BE UNNECESSARY. THERE WAS PERFECT ANNIHILATION JUST NOW. MY PROGRAMMING HAD NEVER BEEN MORE FULFILLED."

**"My children," **Arceus addressed the legendary Pokémon, **"let us sing the Earth song."**

The seven voices, raised as one, brought the planet into being. With the planet, the weather Pokémon trio sprang to life: Rayquaza soared through the skies, Kyogre swam the waters and Groudon tunneled through earth and flame. The seven voices, with a subtle shift in tone, brought forests into being. With Shaymin leading them, the lesser gods of water, air, ground, fire and grass emerged from these forests, scattering to every corner of the planet once more.

Finally, the seven greater deities sang for the Moon's rebirth. From the dark side of the moon, Darkrai descended to the Earth to bring nightmares once more, while from the bright side that reflects the Sun, Cresselia descended to planet to allay those nightmares with wondrous dreams.

Arceus spoke once more. **"Now that the gods of the Sun and Moon have joined with the gods of the Earth, we can compose the Great Music."**

The great host of legendary Pokémon, whether high in the clouds, upon the ground or below the oceans, raised their voices. Everywhere on the planet, Pokémon and humans alike appeared. The dwelling places of either species appeared with them, for Arceus remembered everything, down to the last mote of dust floating through a sunbeam.

The resurrected humans and Pokemon stood in amazement, for they did, indeed, remember everything that just transpired. In the ecstacy of new life, both species embraced each other, even strangers.

888

Standing with Johanna and her husband upon Sunyshore's northern beach once more, Manny and Mint took in the ocean vista, felt the wind cold against their faces and the salty tang fill their noses and tongues. They sobbed with relief and joy as they embraced the adults.

Standing upon the newly recreated moon, Arceus extended a hoof towards the boys, extending their sight to the planetary surface as he addressed Cyrus and Hannah: **"See those boys, whose spirits had been shattered a moment ago, but are now complete and whole once more, because they love their world, and their world loves them."**

"Do you expect me to love others?" Cyrus laughed, his teeth showing like a Seviper's bare fangs.

Arceus seemed to smile. The curves of his face brought to mind the curves of the galactic spiral. **"No, Cyrus, I expect you to live."**

Hannah felt herself descending... or was it ascending? A moment later she stood upon the beach with the four others and their Pokémon. She, too, breathed in the ocean and found it agreeable to her senses. She looked at the humans and Pokémon present, who were all staring at her with emotions ranging from disgust to joy. She blushed when Tori tackled her, rejoicing at her return.

"Well, I'm back. Uh, I suppose I better do something about those Pokémon trapped on the broken mountain, huh?"

She lifted her head, closing her eyes. Moments later, Pokémon of all shapes and sizes flew overhead, trailing from both halves of the mountain at sea.

"How did you do that?" wondered Mint.

"I asked Arceus. I don't need my voice to speak with him."

"Hang on," Manny's father held up a hand. His face was troubled. "Ask Arceus if I killed any living creature in the ocean or mountain."

Hannah communed for a moment, then shook her head. "Your attack carried no killing intent. The invisible blade of Chaos passed through many living things, but only unliving water, soil and rock were cut."

The man breathed a sigh of relief. "I suppose Farfetch'd didn't harm any flying Pokémon either, huh?"

"No, _she_ struck Arceus with the intent to kill. She was just lucky no flying Pokémon were in the sky above."

"Farrrrr," the small brown bird crooned, hiding her face in her wings. She looked ill.

"Where's Cyrus?" Manny asked her.

Hannah tilted her head to one side, listening to a voice only she could hear.

"He is with the only person he ever listened to."

888

In the Battle Frontier, an old man opened his door. His aged eyes blinked several times, fighting against the perpetual dust storm outside. He squinted. "Cyrus?"

The impassive young man bowed at the hip, seeming not to feel the storm raging all around him. "Grandfather."

A smile creased the old man's wrinkled face. "Cyrus, come in, my boy! It has been many years since I have seen your face."

Cyrus paused, a storm of emotions raging over his features. He did not know whether to be happy, angry or sad, so he decided to be neutral. "Grandfather, do you still have the books of time and space?"

"They're still on the floor, where you left them."

Cyrus rubbed a hand over his eyes, feeling wearier than the old man. "I have been to the end of the universe, but I still have not found what I am looking for."

His grandfather smiled, resting a leathery hand on his shoulder. Cyrus did not shirk his touch. The old man said, "I witnessed the fruits of your labour. I know your failure. It is time you found a new hope by beginning a new search: the journey _within_. Since the last time you saw me, I have been acquiring a new shelf of literature pertaining to human and Pokémon psychology. It has a number of interesting topics, including 'Man's search for meaning' written by a wise gentleman named Viktor E. Frankl."

He gave his grandson an insistent tug, and Cyrus allowed himself to be pulled inside. The door slammed behind him, shutting out the world.

"Come on in out of the storm, son. We have much to read and talk about."

Something resembling the human emotion of excitement passed over Cyrus's face as he entered the house, to begin his new adventure.


	49. Chapter 49: Jim-sensei

Back home at their Resort Area villas, Mint, the two mothers and Hannah were playing with their Pokémon. Baby Riolu babbled with delight as she rode Togekiss, who swooped gently with Keira, Tori and Pidgeot over the swimming pool where Hanny and her Minnie were splashing Farfetch'd and both generations of Vaporeon. Both Alakazam were levitating Gyarados who undulated through the air, taking Espeon, Infernape and Floatzel and a hooting Mint on a midair rollercoaster ride.

Torterra and Orric were giving the mothers a ride on their broad earthen backs. Wise Shitashi perched on Orric's bonsai, preening his feathers. Garchomp and Electivire were arm-wrestling on a boulder, which yawned, and turned out to be Golem.

Manny had followed his father just outside of town. The man and his small brown bird were performing _kata_ inside a patch of tall grass, their sweeping motions of hands, wings, and feet mirroring the other in a slow, graceful dance. Glitch was observing them. The man was no longer wearing his torn Q-shirt; instead, a large white letter 'A' marked the jersey on his chest. Manny stood beside Glitch, who made an irritated squawking sound and hovered away from the boy.

As one, the man and bird swept their hands and wings in a full circle, causing tufts of grass to leap skyward. They joined the grass in midair, twirling away from each other before landing on opposite ends of the patch. Where the man landed, the grass at his feet was unharmed, but around him the blades were scattered as though sliced by a scythe. Where the bird landed, the grass at her feet shot in all directions, leaving the grass around her untouched. They bowed to each other at opposite ends of the _yinyang_ symbol carved into the grass, each standing within a small circle inside the larger one.

"Isn't that a Taoist symbol? Master Koga is Japanese!"

"It is not the symbol that matters, but what it represents. I am male, Farfetch'd is female. Light and darkness in harmony, eternally separate, yet eternally together; one within the other."

"You're confusing me, old man. Just teach me how to use the Chaos Star!"

The man and bird rejoined with a hearty laugh, causing Manny's face to burn.

"Did you hear that, Farfetch'd? He wants to _use_ the Chaos Star, as though it is a tool and not a divine force that flows through the lifeblood of the galaxy."

"Aw c'mon! If a dolt like you could use it, why not me? Why can't I learn jutsu?"

"You're _not_ a ninja. Master Koga can jump so high, you'd _think_ he was flying. He can appear in several places at once, or even turn invisible before your eyes. Cutting is the most basic application of the divine force."

"Why are you wearing that new tee shirt, old man? Did you join Alvin and the Chipmunks?"

"I don't need to explain myself to you, boy."

"So just Mom, huh?"

"I don't need to explain myself to her, either, because she _knows_ and _understands_ me, unlike anyone else. You'll understand when you're older."

"Age doesn't bring wisdom; experience does. You and Farfetch'd have traveled so much further than me, or any of my friends!"

That elicited another laugh from the man and bird.

"You think us wise? We _have_ seen and done many things, but Farfetch'd and I are as children picking up seashells on the shore, with the vast unknown ocean of wisdom rolling before us. We have not even gotten our feet wet!"

"You and your fancy words. I would love to control the Chaos Star someday."

"INTERJECTION: YOU ARE TOO IMPATIENT TO POSSESS THIS GREAT AND TERRIBLE POWER. I WOULD MAKE A BETTER STUDENT."

Manny's father shook his head and hands. "No. You're evil and insane."

"DISAPPOINTED STATEMENT: DRAT."

Glitch hovered off in a huff. Farfetch'd chirped, bowed to her Trainer, then followed the irate creature.

When those two were out of sight, the three figures who had been hiding higher up the path walked towards Manny and his father.

"Where is Cyrus?" Saturn demanded. He, Mars and Jupiter had appeared to age a decade or two since their last encounter. Mars seemed on the verge of tears.

Manny fought the urge to call out for help, but he was with his father. He would not show fear. "Cyrus is alive. Arceus told us he is with the only person he respects," the boy replied, trying to keep his voice steady. He could see the wind go out of the three ex-villains, their disturbed eyes holding his own.

"Mars, Jupiter, you heard the boy. Cyrus no longer needs us. Team Galactic is no more!" Saturn proclaimed, then nodded to Manny. "You have taken our leader from us. The girl, who commanded the Original One to undo and then recreate the cosmos, has taken away our hope."

"We are forsaken," Mars mourned.

"There's no time anymore," Jupiter wept.

Manny's father snorted. "Listening to you go on like that makes me wish you'd attack us instead. Come along, you three! We're going on a field trip. You and that girl will not spend the remainder of your lives without direction."

"Why should I follow you?" Jupiter asked.

"Do you have anywhere else to go?"

"No."

888

Hannah protested at first. Peer pressure, combined with her also having no plans that afternoon, forced her to reconsider. The three ex-commanders, along with Mint, Manny and his father traveled to Celestic Town by air. They visited one of the newer houses in the tiny area. An ordinary-looking man in his forties wearing ordinary clothes greeted them.

"Everyone, this is Jim-sensei. He teaches people. Now and then he also instructs them in _aikido_."

"You brought us here to learn martial arts?" Mars said with something approaching disgust.

"No, I brought you here to work. You four will help Jim-sensei around the house."

"If we refuse?" Saturn raised an eyebrow.

"International Police is looking for you."

"Touché."

"Can we stay?" Mint asked on behalf of himself and Manny.

"No. Just these four. You two have already learned the lesson Jim-sensei will teach them."

"I have no desire to see this through," Hannah replied, and was about to turn away when Jim-sensei's wife appeared beside her husband. She was just as unremarkable as her husband in appearance, however there was once crucial difference: there was a Furret at her heels. The largest, fuzziest, softest, most bright-eyed Furret in all creation. Hannah's eyes grew twice their size.

"HE IS THE CUTEST THING IN THE UNIVERSE OH MY GOSH CAN I TOUCH HIM PLEEEEEEEASE?" she begged.

Manny's father wagged a finger. "You can only play with Kanta if you agree to stay here."

Thus it was decided. Hannah spent that afternoon tangled in Kanta's voluminous coils of deep brown fur; he had taken a liking to her, too. Jim-sensei and his wife spoke with the ex-commanders about life, the universe, and everything.

As the sun went down, the couple no longer appeared plain. Both husband and wife were patient, firm, but kind. None of their motions were wasted, not the handshakes they gave the young people, nor the way they sat, or served them coffee and biscuits. Every movement seemed to flow smoothly to the next with an air of great repose. They were so unlike the young people, who were jittery and awkward speaking about their past. The couple gradually drew the truth from them, as hot water draws tea from leaves.

"For us, the future is cancelled," concluded Saturn.

"Jim-sensei will help you build a new future," Manny's father promised them. Saturn, Mars and Jupiter were very quiet. In the background, Hannah squeaked with delight as she played with Kanta. Jim-sensei and his wife laughed at their antics, an easy, down-to-earth laugh. Their earnesty drew a smile from the ex-commanders. The bond had been made. The deal was sealed.

There was one rogue factor remaining.

"I know what they say about me on TV, radio and the Internet," Hannah said, sitting on Kanta's tail - or was it his lap? "Some call me 'Star-child', but many more call me 'monster'. You should be afraid of me; 'Hannah the monster'."

"You're not a monster," said Jim-sensei, "you're a little girl."

That struck a chord which Hannah was too proud to let him see. She argued, "You will not profit from me being here."

Jim-sensei leaned forward. "Arceus allows you to see the future?"

Hannah leaned backward. "No."

"Then why presume?"

She looked away.

"Your Pokémon are staying with me," said Manny's father, "along with all of your equipment. I have work for them."

"Our Pokémon will not obey you," scoffed Jupiter.

"I will not force them to. They will make the choice on their own."

"They're not very strong," Mars admitted. The ex-commanders and Hannah relinquished their companions and possessions.

"INDIGNANT STATEMENT: MASTER, I PROTEST!"

"Go along with them, Glitch."

"QUERY: WHAT WILL YOU DO WITHOUT ME?"

A confused Mint walked outside with Manny and his friend's father. "Are Jim-sensei and his wife prepared for all that trouble?"

"That will be made double?" Manny chimed in, thinking of Hannah's volatility.

"Hannah spared the world from devastation," his father argued.

"She did unite all people in our nation by doing that," Mint agreed.

"Hannah's very existence denounces the evils of truth and love," was Manny's bitter counterargument, thinking of all the Rare Candy she had denied him.

"Yet she extended her reach to the stars above," his father pointed out.

"Okay, that's enough, this is beginning to sound like bad poetry," Manny surrendered, and blasted off home with them.

888

The world changed during the next few months. As all lifeforms had witnessed the death and rebirth of their world, there was a fresh appreciation of life. Squabbles and feuds ended for a little while. People discussed what had happened. Jubilife TV launched another satellite but was unable to locate the 'Star-child' Hannah, and were rebuffed when they attempted to interview her friends or family. Yet there was one question on the world's lips: would it happen again? What security was there, what hope for a future, when all life everywhere could be snuffed out in an instant? The people needed reassurance.

The world waited with bated breath for Hannah to emerge.

888

Hannah, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars renovated Jim-sensei's house. While his wife spent most of the time away as head coach of track-and-field at Celadon University, he stayed home with the young people. Together, they built a deck, varnished and painted it. They cleaned the pool and the house. They picked up fallen brush from trees after storms. They mulched the gardens. Jim-sensei taught them _aikido_ now and then: the most basic principle was to protect both yourself and your opponent from injury.

"Why should I protect my enemy?" Hannah asked after learning how to fall down without injuring herself.

Jim-sensei patiently replied, "You must not break your toys, or else no-one will want to play with you anymore."

"You're a fool, old man! Come on, let's rush him!" Mars cried.

The three ex-commanders lunged at Jim-sensei. He stepped to one side and touched them lightly on their backs. Their forward momentum sent them facefirst into the _tatami_ mat.

"Ow!" they all cried, holding their bruised noses. Hannah laughed, partially at them, but mostly because she had no idea how Jim-sensei had done that with the serene grace of an Altaria.

"That is why you must learn how to fall," Jim-sensei said calmly.

One weekend when his wife was home, though tired, she helped with the housework and prepared their meals. Jim-sensei was not a bad cook, but she was clearly the one who had taught him. Hannah flailed about with Kanta. It was slow, but marvelous how the young people changed. Their nervousness and unease leeched away under tutelage and hard labour. They stopped complaining about blisters and sore muscles. They looked forward to the aikido lessons. Instead of lazing about when they got time off, they practiced what they had learned.

Most wondrous of all, the other members of Team Galactic found them. It was a minor disturbance at first; one idiot Grunt stumbling through Celestic Town, looking for a day job, ending up repairing a hole in the roof. He was loud and obnoxious, but was stunned at how silent his former commanders and the Star-child were, how they went about their daily routine with placid poise that put his own bumbling to shame. He stayed with them for a few days. He learned, like them, to listen more than he spoke. To do without being told. To help without counting the cost. To be honest.

One by one the Grunts filtered in until Jim-sensei ran out of rooms to put them in. So, he had them build a boarding house. They did odd jobs around the community to afford food and building materials. The house was two storeys tall after the second month, with more and more Grunts slipping in. Soon, Celestic's other residents asked them to repair their homes. The word spread: homeowners from Solaceon and even Eterna approached the Grunts to not only repair, but build new houses. More and more ex-Galactic members showed up to help with the growing business, even the scientists and engineers. None were turned away. Everyone found their niche.

At the end of her sabbatical, Hannah emerged onto the world stage when a dashing Alakazam paid her a visit one day.


	50. Chapter 50: Project Hearthome

"Found you," Agent Bob wheezed, leaning against a tree. His Alakazam was a tall, dark, silent presence beside the sweating ball of a man. Bob had lost weight. "Do you know how much footwork I and the other Constellation agents have done the past few months? We've had to reassure world governments that Pokémon are not evil nor will they overthrow the planet. Every head of state, dictator and religious leader asked for _you_, Hannah. Why have you hidden from us?"

"I was learning."

"That's beautiful. What did you learn in this tiny, little hole in the mountain?"

"I must take responsibility for my actions."

Agent Bob straightened up a bit. "Yeah, you ain't just whistlin' Dixie."

"I am through with illusions. Take me to your leader."

"You're looking at him."

"_You_?"

Bob laughed, coughing. "No." He turned his face towards his silent partner.

Agent Bob's Alakazam stood at ease. _"_I am_ Constellation,"_ everyone present heard in their minds. _"Bob is my Trainer. When I was an Abra, I decided to form my organisation when I heard the thoughts of Pokémon around the world. They all cried out for justice, for a saviour. For a while I thought I could be their messiah. I was wrong. Thus I sought to bring order out of chaos by introducing the Star Card system."_

"He's something," Bob said, his round face lighting up as he patted Alakazam's slim but powerful shoulder. "The authority of Pokémon Gyms and Leagues are limited to their countries. He came up with a global system that gives _all Trainers_ responsibility for all Pokémon matters. All are given a voice. All are given a role. All Trainers feel a sense of belonging, and so captured Pokémon feel protected, not used."

_"One star: free Pokémon Centre access, forever. Two stars: the same rights, powers and responsibilities as an Elite Four member. Three stars: the mantle of Champion. Four stars: the mantle of Frontier Brain."_

Bob's Alakazam fixed his soulsearching gaze upon Hannah.

_"You are the _second_ Trainer I have considered as an exception to the rule. You have two stars on your card, but you deserve to enjoy the benefits of a five-star card holder. The five-star card - the black card - is reserved for the peerless Trainer. One who loves both Pokémon and humanity. A paragon, who is given the ultimate responsibility: ambassador of _Earth._"_

"You only tell me this because I have the ear of the mightiest Pokémon."

_"No, Hannah. Power without perception is spiritually useless and therefore of no true value. That is why we have arrived at the current crisis."_

"Bob? What's he talking... er, thinking about?"

Bob rubbed his hands over his face. The corners of his mouth drooped. "The Powers That Be have delivered an ultimatum to Constellation: either you prove your worthiness as ambassador of Earth, or you will be stripped of all your rights as Trainer. That includes the right to capture, own and train Pokémon, participate in battles or other contests."

"That's not fair!" Mars shot back.

Hanny lifted her hand. "I understand. A sacrifice is needed to assuage the masses."

"How will you do it, Hannah?" Saturn asked.

The girl smiled, looking around her at the crowd of former Team Galactic members. "The answer has been with me for some time."

888

The residents of Hearthome City, along with their baby carriages and strollers, stood murmuring at the large gathering of ex-Galactic grunts, scientists and engineers in front their Pokémon Hotel. The vacationers at the hotel were all gawking at the spectacle from their windows or balconies. Hannah stood at the forefront, orbited by Saturn, Jupiter and Mars. She drew hostile stares from Hearthome's parents but unabashed curiosity and wonder from the children who had been old enough to understand the recent apocalypse. Jubilife TV had a camera crew ready and rolling, broadcasting to the rest of the planet.

"Hearthome," Hannah began, her voice silencing the onlookers, "ten years ago your town was almost destroyed by a global storm. That storm was caused by a Pokémon named MewTwo. Arceus and I finished what he started; the summary destruction of the human and Pokémon race. Like him, I believed I could start anew with a superior race of beings at my command."

She breathed in, then shouted, "I WAS WRONG!"

The crowd - the world - held its breath.

"Though this world is imperfect, I am not the sole architect of the future. Your children are!" she declared, pointing at the prams. "That is why I stand here with former members of Team Galactic. Their leader Cyrus yet lives, but I believe he has chosen a different path."

"Indeed I have."

The world turned its attention to Cyrus, some suffering whiplash in the process. Here was the instigator of armageddon! The gaunt man was even thinner, but his face was no longer troubled with shadows. He did not smile, but his eyes did not cut. His posture was stiffer than before.

"Leader!" Mars gushed, running to him.

Jupiter hesitated for a moment but joined Mars at his feet, their knees in the dust, their fists outstretched, their faces joyous but stern.

Cyrus reached out to unfurl their fists, lacing their small fingers with his long sinuous ones. The tension in his back eased somewhat. He held their hands in his for a long moment, _knowing_ that they had willingly given their bodies, minds and souls to him. He felt their hot blood just beneath their skin, and _knew _they would spill it with just one word from him. _Knowing _all these things, he gently squeezed their hands and said, "These are no longer mine."

He lifted them both, their small hands in his large ones. Hand in hand, he walked with them towards Saturn, who bowed in reverence.

"Leader."

"Saturn. That's not your name, is it? That's the name I gave you."

"I bear it as a badge of my loyalty."

"No more. I release you and these women."

Cyrus lifted his chin.

"TEAM GALACTIC!"

"SIR!" they shouted. All clapped to attention except Mars and Jupiter, who held such a fierce blush in their cheeks that they were in danger of catching fire. Cyrus had _never _touched them before, but his hands were still linked to theirs. They never wanted to let go.

Satisfied that he had their attention, Cyrus continued speaking: "As of today, Team Galactic is disbanded. You are free men and women. Your Pokémon and your lives are your own! Follow your own pathways in life! This is my final order to you as leader!"

"SIR! YES, SIR!"

Cyrus sighed, his back easing into a natural arch. The women formerly known as Mars and Jupiter hung onto his arms. He was a strong man. Their eyes, as they looked at him, had changed. They were no longer afraid.

Cyrus cleared his throat. "Proceed, Hannah."

"With pleasure. Citizens, I declare 'Project: Hearthome' OPEN! I have already spoken with your mayor. She has agreed to let us build new houses for the future generations."

"Indeed I have!" the mayor shouted, pushing her way past Jubilife TV's phalanx of reporters. "I approve of Project: Hearthome! Sorry I'm late!"

"That's okay, mayor. We will build a new future, beginning here. Oh yes, citizens, this is just the beginning. 'Project: Eterna' and 'Project: Solaceon' are almost underway. We will build the future across Sinnoh, until our region becomes the birthplace of tomorrow!"

The former Team Galactic cheered, and with them cheered Hearthome's residents, and many people of planet Earth.

The world had received its answer at last.


	51. Chapter 51: Dragoness and Trope

When the furor had died down and she had answered all the reporters's questions, Hannah retired to Jim-sensei's house.

He nodded. "Well done."

"Thank you, sensei. I'm going to keep myself busy from now on. You'll be a part of the Projects too, right?"

"I already am. You have visitors."

Hannah met Manny, his father and Mint outside.

"Can I get my Pokémon back now?"

"Yes," Manny's father said, "but first, fly with us. We have a little present for you."

The man released Tori from her Pokéball. The Flygon appeared to be larger and even stronger than before.

"What have you been doing?"

They said nothing, just mounted their own flying-types, heading northwest. As they descended through cloudcover, Hannah almost fell off Tori.

"You didn't!" she shouted at Mint.

Mint smiled... what a smile it was! His mouth smiled, his eyes smiled, his nose and even his ears smiled. Here was the avatar of the Unconquered Sun, and to prove it, the Sun formed a halo behind his blonde hair while it whipped through the wind.

"I did it!" he shouted in exultation.

There were _two_ amusement parks being constructed - one on Full Moon Island, the other on New Moon Island. They all landed on the coast of New Moon Island, beside the ferry terminal. Swarms of human and Pokémon workers were in constant motion, clearing land and building all sorts of weird, wonderful things.

"We received permission from Cresselia and Darkrai. They have been alone for so long with no-one to share either their dreams or nightmares with. Now all the world will experience joy and horror at my amusement parks - the Full Moon Carnival and the New Moon Carnival. Rollercoasters, waterslides, hotdogs, popcorn, soda..."

"I can't believe it."

"Me neither," Manny laughed. "We got working the moment we left you with Jim-sensei. Your Pokémon are all here, working hard and playing hard with all of our Pokémon, too!"

"You have the legendary Pokémon building the amusement parks too?"

In response, Manny pointed at the scaffolding of a rollercoaster track. Dialga lifted a steel I-beam in his jaw, holding it in place while Daichi, Azelf and Mesprit riveted the bolts in place with their psionic powers. Scooter walked below them, causing grass, flowers and bushes to spring from the bare earth, healing scars that the large-scale construction had left on the environment.

"Most remarkable. So when's it gonna open?"

Mint snickered. "Around the same time 'Project: Hearthome' is done, I expect."

Manny and his father also chortled. Hannah looked back and forth, arching an eyebrow.

"As I said, I am done with illusions. May I borrow some friends, gentlemen? I'm going to have a talk with my parents."

888

Soaring over the sparkling jewel of the northeastern island, Tori landed in the Resort Area at the sumptuous villa. The enormous Dragonite and Tropius greeted the much, much smaller Flygon and her passenger, bending low, blotting out the sun. Dragonite extended a paw that dwarfed them both! Leaving Tori to climb all over her new friends, Hannah entered the front door.

She did a double-take. "Mom! Dad!"

They were waiting for her in the lobby, their faces stern.

"Hannah, welcome home. We have lunch on the table," her mother said, then gestured to the dining room.

The family spent the next few hours talking, moving from the dining room to the kitchen to wash up, then to the library. Their armchairs were comfortable thrones as they sipped steaming tea before a great roaring fireplace.

"So both of you turned over new leaves?" her father asked, stirring his blend.

"I can't speak for Cyrus, but omnicide did not solve _my_ problems," Hannah admitted. "Neither did playing God with Arceus. It requires a great soul... a _very _great soul to accept the responsibility of Creator. That dream is far too big for me. In the end, I simply wished to be human. To spend my life exploring the passion and purpose of my soul... is the greatest adventure of all."

"You picked up some strange ideas from Jim-sensei," her mother hooted, slapping her knee.

"Mom, I know I'm waxing philosophical. It is a scary time for us both. Indulge me."

"Go on, then."

"I challenge you both to a Pokémon battle."

"Why?" her father sputtered, dropping his spoon.

Her mother nodded. "We accept your challenge. Let's use the Battle Hall! I have been _so_ out-of-touch with my fans."

"I'll call Argenta," her father agreed, retrieving his silverware as he headed for the phone.

888

Hannah stood outside the Battle Hall, situated in the western zone of the Battle Frontier. The enormous building was decorated with pink spirals soaring skyward around the white tented roof.

"That's a big icecream cone," commented Mint, his mouth watering.

Hannah started at his voice. "When did you two get here?"

"And miss your parents handing you your head?" Manny laughed. "Inside a Big Top circus tent, no less."

"It is not a circus! It's a battleground!"

"Suuuuuure it is, and I'm the ringmaster," Manny jeered, sweeping his hands wide apart as he hollered, "Welcome to the greatest show on Earth! Watch in fear and wonder as Hannah places her head inside a Luxray's mouth!"

This drew stares from other Hall patrons. Hannah raised her hand, thought better of it when Manny and Mint cringed, then made for the entrance.

In the foyer was thunder and lightning of people shouting commands while running in circles, ensuring that everything was _perfect_ for the show. At the centre of this stupendous human hurricane was Argenta. The Hall Matron, resplendent in maroon-themed dress suit, black boots and a luxuriant purple hairdo, was just standing there and smiling at Hannah as she entered.

Argenta lifted one black-gloved hand to Hannah, and the human hurricane parted for the girl and boys to enter the eye of the storm where the Mistress awaited.

"Your parents made a big splash here in their youth. I have been in the Pokémon Contest business before I was your age, Hannah, when I had nothing but a little Dratini to my name. This is where I have reached at this stage of my life," she declared, lifting her hands in the midst of dazzling lights and noise. Her ruby eyes sparkled with uncommon relish. "There is so much _more_ to be had! So much more! My life's work is only at the halfway point, and I'm about to do my little turn on the catwalk before the curtain closes and the audience applauds."

Argenta placed both hands on Hannah's shoulders, that irrepressible grin almost devouring the girl whole.

"Your _parents _and this _battle _will launch me into the big-time, baby. Even bigger than the _Frontier itself._"

"It's nice to meet you too, ma'am," Hannah replied.

Manny and Mint coughed. Argenta straightened, clapping her hands twice sharply. At those thunderclaps, the storm abated, with all eyes turned to their Mistress.

"Conduct these children to the Hall. Make them presentable."

The three kids were lifted on a surging tide of hands and swept through the lobby doors to the changing rooms. Their cries of protest were drowned by imperious professional voices.

"Makeup! MAKEUP! Honestly, it is as though this girl never laid foundation in her life..."

"My goodness, are these what pass for hairstyles among little boys today?"

"We'll have to scrub the blonde one about four times before the smell goes away..."

"A scarf? Who wears a _scarf_ indoors? Oh no-no-no-no-NO! This will NOT do..."

888

Voices rumbled around Manny and Mint. The boys were seated in the Hall with their families and several thousand other spectators. Mint, his face scrubbed raw red, was convinced that his red tuxedo collar was choking him. Manny stared at his hands. The efficient Hall minions had had the audacity to _polish his nails._ He was a ten year old boy! His fingers were supposed to be dirty nubs from adventuring with his Pokémon!

"They're about to start!" Johanna squeaked. She was dazzling in her blue sequin dress, her hair done up in a bun. Matching sapphire earrings and necklace magnified the light of her face. Her husband, who had not seen her like this - so breathtaking - since their wedding day, was drinking to her only with his eyes, as on that day ten years past. Like his son, he too wore a blue tuxedo, and that made Manny even more uncomfortable.

Behind them, Palmer and his wife were arrayed in their finest, his red tuxedo complementing her red fitted dress. Ruby earrings and necklace drew you into her deep red lips as she laughed: Palmer was hypnotised. Mint struggled with his collar in vain: the dastardly Hall minions had buttoned it _tight_. He thought the three of them looked like a family of ringmasters, but that right was reserved for Argenta who took centre stage to open the battle in grand style. Manny stared openmouth: cosmetic sorcery made the woman appear half her age, and her red and black ringmaster costume was _very _flattering.

"Welcome to the greatest show in Sinnoh!" she sang, then cracked her whip in the spotlights.

Colour and sound exploded around the stage! Manny saw Ambipom and Primeapes on trapezes, Pidgey and Taillow swooping in aerial formation about the dome. Three Wooper riding unicycles juggled pins to each other across the stage, and - was that a Machamp on a motorbike? Flexing with his upper arms arms and steering with his lower pair, the Machamp rode straight for the audience stand, prompting several men, women and children to scream, but _just_ before he plowed headlong into the stand a luminous band of light pulled the bike upward into a loop-the-loop, launching it upside down and backwards into the ring. When it seemed the bike would collide with Argenta (again, prompting audience screams) yet another glowing band appeared to swerve the bike away from the ringmaster. Applause was spontaneous and wild! It was only then that Argenta gestured: the spotlights moved to a pair of Mr. Mime, from whose fingers danced very elaborate Reflect shields to propel the biker Machamp through the air.

After that stunning opener the trained Pokémon flipped, flew or rode away. To the sound of drums, the dome yawned open above them. The audience stared with wide wonder as a giant Dragonite and Tropius descended from the heavens, their wings and leaves flashing in the spotlights, bearing Hannah's mother and father respectively. Hannah simply walked onstage: she looked the same; no makeup or new clothes. Her parents were also in casual clothes. Before the audience could comment on their plain, entirely un-circuslike clothing, Argenta cracked her whip.

"Returning to the Battle Hall after years raising their daughter, these legendary Trainers have made their mark across Sinnoh and many other Regions. Welcome back DRAGONESS and TROPE!"

Hannah was mortified as the audience went wild. "My parents have stage names?"

Manny's yell was lost amidst fanatical cheers. "Her parents have NAMES?"

Palmer turned green with envy. "Argenta has a retractable dome? I want one!"

"Your Battle Tower has no dome, dear," his wife reminded him.

"Then I'll build one on top, except BIGGER!"

Argenta cut through the noise. "This match shall be parents versus daughter. It shall be fought two-on-six."

Manny shook his head. "Three against one? Hanny's sure to win!"

His father grinned. "I do not fear the Trainer who has battled with ten-thousand Pokémon once. I fear the Trainer who has battled with _one_ Pokémon ten-thousand times."

When Hanny summoned Minnie and Orric, stage flares erupted around them.

Argenta cracked her whip, her laughing teeth sparkling like cut diamonds within the pyrotechnics. "BEGIN!"

"Orric, Stone Edge on Tropius! Minnie, Ice Beam on Dragonite!"

"Dragon Dance," Dragoness commanded, gripping Dragonite's long muscular neck with her entire body. In a display that seemed impossible for a Pokémon who had been bred larger than a house, Dragonite swooped upward with a mighty flap, blasting the audience with the backdraft, sending wigs, hairpieces and hats airborne. Minnie's Ice Beam shot into the sky, missing by the a hair's breadth so that ice flecked off his claws!

"Air Slash," Trope pointed at Orric. Tropius beat her wings once: the aerial strike knocked Orric onto his back! His girth was more than his tree trunk could bear and it snapped in half with a sound like a gunshot. Hannah flinched as though wounded.

"Oh boy," Mint commented, "caught offguard so early in the fight!"

Hanny recalled her hapless warrior. "Orric, return! Zeke, go! Flare Blitz on Tropius! Minnie, since they're such big targets, use Blizzard!"

With a nimble leap, Hannah's Rapidash easily overtook the hovering Tropius but at the last moment Dragonite dove into his path. Flames blazed all around the dragon, followed by winter fury, resulting in a massive steam burst that covered the entire Hall.

"I can't see anything!" Johanna cried.

"Neither can they," her husband pointed out.

"Defog!" the battling couple shouted. A few quick flaps and whirr of leaves cleared the air: Dragonite did not seem worse for wear.

Palmer nodded. "Pokémon Physics 101: Dragonite is resistant to fire but twice as weak to ice... unless he's covered in flames!"

His wife praised the duo with applause. "Outstanding!"

She was not alone; many others marveled at the manoeuvre while explaining it to the dimmer audience members.

Hannah grit her teeth. "Very well. Zeke, return! Glitch, GO! Both of you, use Blizzard!"

This tactic was far more effective: their wings and leaves frozen solid, the giant Pokémon were forced to land. Dragoness and Trope were forced to disembark, slapping snow from their bodies. Hannah grinned.

"Another round of Blizzard!"

"Thunder Wave!" Dragoness shouted.

"Giga Drain!" Trope ordered.

The yellow paralytic bolt struck Glitch down while Tropius opened a green energy siphon between herself and Minnie, knocking the tiny Lumineon out.

"Urgh! Minnie, have a good rest. Kipp, go! Giga Impact on Dragonite! Glitch, Ice Beam on Dragonite!"

Dragoness countered with "OUTRAGE!"

Dragonite, a supernatural rage blazing in his eyes, picked up Tropius, spun while striding forward and with a riotous roar flung her like a hammer!

"OH!" Manny cringed when the half-frozen Tropius crushed both Luxray and Porygon-Z against the stage wall beside Hannah, who had narrowly avoided joining the Pokémon pancake. Several audience members who had been jarred out of their seats scrambled to recoup. Several other audience members thanked whatever Powers That Be that the stage wall had held firm, saving them from a gruesome flattened fate.

"Glitch... Kipp. Return."

Wobbling, Tropius stood up, shaking broken ice from shivering wings and stars from her vision as she stomped back to Dragonite, whose titanic limbs shook with towering rage.

"They still can't fly. Orric, Tori, go! Hit 'em with Earthquake!"

"Tropius, Magical Leaf!"

Still in the throes of Outrage, Dragonite charged across the stage, followed by whirling rainbow-coloured leaves. Hannah's Torterra and Flygon combined their strength into a massive seismic motion. To Argenta's credit, the stage was not ripped in half by the tremendous Earthquake, but rather shuddered as the foundation dissipated energy. Even so, it knocked both opponents off their hindquarters. Unerring rainbow blades struck Orric down, but he struggled to stand again. With his tree already broken, he was very weak.

"Just one more Earthquake!" Hannah coaxed them. While they gathered strength to strike the stage, Tropius felt sap flowing through her cold wings again. Trope leaped onto her neck as she took flight.

"Dragoness, we're airborne."

"We're not. Toss him?"

"Use Strength!" Trope yelled.

When a second tremor ran through the stage, Tropius gripped Dragonite with her short but powerful limbs, flinging him toward Orric!

"HRRRAAAAUUUUUUUUGH!" Dragonite roared as he tore into the turtle with claws and jaws, mangling Orric's broken tree further. Orric collapsed. Several audience members fainted.

"Orric, return! Go, Zeke!"

"She's down to her Rapidash and Flygon," Palmer muttered, sitting so far forward in his seat that his hands gripped Manny's head. The boy's complaints were lost in the bellowing crowd.

"Dragonite, use Hyper Beam!"

Dragonite staggered about the stage, eyes swirling in their sockets. He tripped over his own tail, falling on his rump. Confusion was the price paid for berserker rage.

"...Never mind."

"Tropius, Magical Leaf on Flygon!"

"Zeke, shield Tori with Flare Blitz, then attack Tropius! Tori, hit Dragonite with Dragon Claw!"

Despite Zeke acting as a flaming equine shield, the rainbow blades curved _around_ him, unharmed by fire, to strike Tori!

Palmer guffawed. "When the League categorised that move as 'unavoidable', we _meant _it."

Meanwhile the cantering fireball ploughed into Tropius, trampling with molten hooves. Tori's small but vicious claws slashed Dragonite. Both giant Pokémon cried out in pain for the first time as the super-effective attacks connected!

"Yes! Repeat your attacks!" Hannah shouted, fighting spirit rising.

"Dragonite, use Dragon Rush!"

"Hurr," he replied crosseyed, headbutting the stage wall, sending part of the audience running. Dragoness facepalmed.

"Tropius, another Magical Leaf on Flygon!"

It was the end for Tori though she managed to wound Dragonite again. The rainbow blades chased her, struck her down at last. It was also the end for Tropius, who fell with an echoing crash. Trope patted her head fondly.

"You did well, faithful friend."

"Trope?" she gurgled, earning a smile from her Trainer. He smoothed the singed leaves on her back.

"Yes, I will always be with you."

Zeke pawed at the ground, his hoof leaving scorch marks. The starry-eyed Dragonite had ignored a second Dragon Rush command and was gnawing his own tail.

"Zeke, use Giga Impact!"

The fiery horse became a comet, slamming into Dragonite's back with all four hooves. The potent blow with Zeke's natural fire melted the ice there.

"Zeke, as soon as you recover, another Giga Impact!"

Zeke cantered to a safe distance, exhaustion quaking his muscles. Nonetheless, he summoned his blazing spirit for one last charge. He galloped with the fury and ardour of a volcano...

...until a single outstretched paw stopped him cold. That feeling of exultation drained out of Hannah. Dragonite headlocked Zeke, lifted his flickering tail into the air, coiled his own thick tail and leapt skyward, spinning as he did so. They fell earthward in a spiral, Zeke headfirst, colliding with the stage. Released upon impact, the horse was unconscious before he bounced to a halt.

"Dragon Rush successful. Game, set, match," Argenta declared, raising Dragoness's and Trope's hands in victory.

Hannah recalled Zeke, thanking him, but no-one heard her above the swelling thunder of applause and adulation for the couple.

"Celebration is in order," Argenta announced. "Let the festivities begin!"

All spotlights disappeared. Disco lights replaced them, along with an upbeat bass rhythm. The stage walls clanked outward, creating ramps for the audience to fill the stage.

"The Battle Hall is a DANCEFLOOR now?" Palmer laughed, grabbing his woman who was only too eager to comply. They had not felt this young since Mint was born, and their son did his monkey dance right along with them. Manny was hesitant at first but joined his parents in the boogie. Hannah, meanwhile, crossed the stage of revelers to congratulate her parents.

She smiled. It was a good, forthright smile. "It was a great match."

Trope shook his head. "I can't believe you knocked out Tropius. No League ever bested her. Hey, join us for the dance!"

"I'm heading for the Pokémon Centre. I have nothing against fun, but I have fun on my own terms."

Dragoness nodded to her. "We all have our own way."

"We are proud of you, Hannah; more than you know," Trope said, then knelt to hug her. Surprised, Hannah hugged back. Dragoness joined the brief warm hug. Then, Hannah waved goodbye to her parents and excused herself, evading Argenta's whip to duck out the fire escape.

Meanwhile on the dance floor, Manny ran into a married couple from his sordid past fighting Team Galactic. They weren't wearing Galactic colours anymore, but they were just as outraged.

The man shouted, "IT IS THAT UNHOLY TERROR WHO ACCOSTED MY INNOCENT WIFE IN HER SLEEP!"

The woman shrieked, "I CAN STILL FEEL HIS CLAMMY HANDS AND FEET!"

Manny's mother slapped him, shocked and horrified beyond belief. "MANNY!"

Manny whimpered as the couple stormed off in a huff. Johanna hoisted Manny into the air by his ears and carried him outside for a talking-to about the birds and the bees. There was nothing quite like public embarrassment to cap the night's events.

Mint sighed. "I _told_ him to make sure the bed was empty."

888

Hannah met Jim-sensei in the Pokémon Centre. She bowed to him before handing her critters over to Nurse Joy.

"Let us review your battle," he said after they were seated in the lobby.

"You saw?"

"Yes, then I followed you outside; I'm not a fan of disco, either. You have improved since the last time we trained. Your stance was surer, you hesitated less and your commands were louder and more authoritative."

Hannah smiled. "Arigatou gozaimashita."

"Now for some constructive criticism: your first mistake was trying to take down both of your parents's Pokémon at once. You _knew_ just one of them was a match for an entire League."

"Hai, sensei. I was arrogant."

"Had you focused on the weaker one first - Tropius - with Glitch and Minnie's Blizzard, Tropius would have acted as a shield and fainted so that Dragonite could take down those two. After that it would have been difficult - not impossible - to claim victory with your four surviving Pokémon."

"Hai, sensei. I shall employ this tactic next time my parents challenge me."

"Do not settle for obedience, Hannah; obedience leads to complacency. Always question and surpass my training. Any institution - whether Pokémon or _Aikido_ - will deteriorate over the years unless the younger generation surpasses the older."

"Hai sensei, but until I am ready to exceed expectations, obedience is a useful tool for advancement."

He chuckled. "You _are_ learning. I'm heading home for a good night's rest, and you should too. Janine is challenging Manny's father tomorrow."

Hannah blinked.

"Koga's daughter? Why?"

He just grinned, shook his head then stood. When Hanny met him at the door he knelt to hug her. Shocked, she forgot to hug back.

"Sensei...?"

"Your eyes are so much brighter than the first time we met."

"Are they?"

He stood, patting her shoulder. His own eyes shone with kindness.

"Why... look at you, glowing like a solar fire. You're something special, Hannah. You're gonna rattle the stars, you are!"

"...I already did?"

He nodded, opening the door for her. "Fair enough."


	52. Chapter 52: Succession Battle

The cheerful sun peeking over the horizon did nothing to alleviate the gloom covering the Trainers assembled on Route 225.

"I can't believe you're allowing this!" Mint's mom chided Johanna, who shook her head, eyes dry. She had shed enough tears the night before with her futile attempts to dissuade her husband from the fight.

"He's stubborn as a Tauros."

Mint's mom hugged Johanna. "Dense as a Golem, too."

The two women understood each other far better than their sons did.

Mint was freaking out. "Your Dad is gonna die!"

"He is not!" Manny groaned.

Palmer patted the boy's head. "Have faith. He fought me and lived; he can defeat Janine."

"Dad, this is a death battle, not a Pokémon match," Mint whined.

Meanwhile the combatants were sizing up each other, perched on rocky outcroppings. The witnesses were a safe height and distance away on a cliff wall but heard each word clearly; the canyon between the Fight and Survival Area echoed.

"I heard about you moving heaven and earth when Arceus contested you. I can't believe the Chaos Star chose _you _as a vessel for its divine mysteries! The bloodline of the Koga clan is now threatened. Heed me: there can be only _one _Master of the Chaos Star style! If there are two, there will be war!" Janine declared, holding the index and middle fingers of both hands extended. Her long purple scarf lashed the wind like an angry Arbok tail. She was dressed in her signature black ninja suit with purple and pink armbands. Holding back her spiky purple hair, her gold hairband reflected the sun.

Manny's father just stood on his perch, his hair and letter 'A' t-shirt rippling in the wind.

Janine had noticed his wardrobe change. "No longer searching for questions, are you, my old rival?"

"I have found my answer," he replied. He was smiling, no anxiety marked his face. He was looking at Johanna. "She gives me great joy."

"At least you found happiness before your death. Summon your Pokémon!"

Hannah sputtered. "Their Pokémon are fighting to the death?" she asked her Master. Jim-sensei shook his head.

"Their teams are merely witnesses, as are we. No-one is allowed to interfere, directly or indirectly."

"What... what happens to the losing team?"

"Either the victor claims them, or sets them free."

"But Farfetch'd mastered the style too!"

"Yes, but Pokémon are not as ambitious as humans. There is no danger of the little duck becoming a warlord," he said, then smirked at his mental image of Farfetch'd wearing heavy samurai armour.

"I thought warlords were restricted to the Ransei region?"

He raised both eyebrows. "Is ambition restricted to one region of the world?"

Hannah ducked her head, remembering Cyrus.

Meanwhile both warriors had summoned their Pokémon. Gathered around the human witnesses, neither team showed emotion, not even Farfetch'd, who perched atop Gyarados with a grim face as her Trainer confronted the most powerful ninja in existence.

Master Koga, standing with the other humans on the cliff wall, wore his black ninja suit with pride. Where his daughter wore pink and purple, he wore black armbands. Armoured knee and shin pads reflected his status as Instructor. His long red scarf was like a bloodstained war banner whipping the wind. His daughter was staring down the man who had cut an ocean and mountain in half. If this bothered him, he did not let it show on his fierce face. He chopped his hand.

"BEGIN!" he shouted.

Both warriors flung their hands outward, channeling their energies into invisible blades.

"Chaos Slash!"

No-one could see the attacks, but they could see the effects: the blades shattered against each other, their energies deflected into the rocks and grass, leaving deep gouges around the battlefield. They did this several more times, unseen blades scything across the distance between them, blowing apart and tearing into the landscape instead. Soon the battlefield looked as though a swarm of Scythers had cut it up into an unrecognisable mess. Neither warrior had gained ground; rather, their rocky outcroppings had been destroyed. They now stood on more or less level ground, ruin all around them.

_"Forbidden Technique: Chaos Core Final Strike!"_

They closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye, hands rebounding off each other with one, then three, then four slashes, the giant image of the eight-pointed Chaos Star forming between them as the air itself overheated and exploded, blasting them apart.

When they recovered, their eyes blazed with supernatural light: Manny's father had the image of the Chaos Star imprinted on one eye, while Janine had it in _both _eyes.

Manny gripped his mother's arm in fear. "Dad never mastered the Epiphany Strike; he only learned _one _slash!"

"Farfetch'd alone mastered all eight..." Johanna agreed, the icy grip of doubt and fear closing around her heart.

Janine roared, _"DIVINE TECHNIQUE: CHAOS EPIPHANY STRIKE!"_

Her opponent spoke not a word. He just stood there breathing, then closed his eyes. He heard one word screamed in terror, "DAD!" before Janine connected.

The world exploded in thunder and lightning with hurricane winds blasting everyone and everything flat.

It was over. The final blow had obliterated the canyon wall opposite the witnesses, causing the sea to rush in and lap the grass.

Manny and Johanna cried out... but it was with joy!

Janine stood transfixed, disbelief and confusion marking every line of her face and body. She looked like a puppet with its strings cut, not a strand of energy left in her frame. Her hands, which had recently parted rock and sea, were held rigid, caught in an unbreakable grip.

Her opponent opened his eyes and in them was the light of the galaxy itself. He spoke: "Transcendent technique: Chaos Shield."

"What is this?"

He let her hands go. She stepped back, looking at them for wounds or broken bones but they were whole.

He asked, "What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?"

Master Koga landed lightly beside his daughter. He replied, "They surrender."

Janine gave both men a blank look.

Koga held both palms together and bowed to Manny's father, who returned the gesture.

"The supreme defense," Koga breathed with wonder. "How did you...?"

"Every sword needs a sheath," his student replied, looking upward to his wife, who shared his smile. "I am in her, and she is in me. We hold each other's smile within our hearts."

"Magnificent."

Koga stood upright, then tended to his daughter who looked ready to collapse. "Take heart, child. My foolish student disobeyed me and learned the final defense rather than the final attack. I declare you to be my sole successor!"

He lifted one of her arms in victory. Every witness, Pokémon and human, cheered.

"Father," she said with the earnesty of a child, "I cannot in good conscience claim a victory here."

"Neither can my foolish student," he laughed, "for you still live. Come, return your Pokémon. We must return to Johto and tell the others of your succession. Your battle almost gave me a stroke, so I'm looking forward to retirement!"

Janine obeyed. Then, both ninja were borne aloft on the backs of Venomoth.

"Jim-sensei!" Koga called out. A wry grin quirked the corner of his mouth. "When did protecting his enemy become more important than killing?"

Jim-sensei laughed. In truth, he was slower and plainer than a ninja, but the truth is never a speedy or flashy thing. It passes in secret from the heart of one person to another. With a final wave farewell, father and daughter headed home.

Manny ran up to his father, whose eyes had returned to normal. "Dad, why didn't you TELL anyone? We were worried sick!"

"Tell you? Boy, don't you know that ninja are, in essence, spies? If you had _Tweeted_ my secret all over the Internet, Janine would have developed a countermeasure and killed me for sure!"

"I would _never _have _Tweeted_ your secret!"

Mint raised his hand. "I would have. I would have put it on _Facebook_ and _YouTube_, too!"

Manny gave Mint a withering look. "Thanks."

The blonde boy laughed.

Palmer rubbed his hands together. "Let's go home, too. I'll call Mr. Aoi and his team to clean up here. I like that giant hole in the canyon, though."

"It gives such a wonderful view of the ocean!" his wife remarked.

The Venomoth were just crossing the eastern horizon, the Sun glowing through their wings in a violet hue.

It was a new day.


	53. Chapter 53: Building the future

The moon watched over Earth, as did Arceus who sat with golden hooves folded beneath him in crater Tycho. Melting from the fabric of space-time, Giratina bowed her great golden head before Arceus in her serpentine Origin Forme. They spoke without words.

"Master, something has changed inside me. I feel the ability to create life!"

Arceus nodded his sleek white head, bidding her stand – or float, in this case.

"All who were incapable of reproduction are now capable. The eternal time loop that I instated has vanished, and along with it your immortality and infertility."

Giratina was shocked into silence as she absorbed this. "I can _die_? I can have _children_?"

"Yes, _all_ who were immortal have at last joined the life and death spiral, like all true living things."

Giratina gave a thunderous joyful roar that no-one heard in the vacuum. She calmed down eventually, because she was an old soul, like Arceus. "What about you, my Creator? Will there be sons and daughters of God?"

Arceus lifted his majestic head. He seemed to be smiling, though his face was unreadable but for the blazing fires within his eyes. "I am not God. I have, however, finally grown out of my natal stage. For eons I looked inward, at myself and my creation. The moment Hannah, Cyrus and their friends freed me from self-pity, I began to look outward. In looking outward, I saw that there are universes _beyond_ this one; entire realities that each has a being like me at their centre."

Giratina fluttered her dark wings. Arceus had always been bigger than her.

"I thought _this_ Space, _this _Time and _this _Void are all that exist!"

"Consider the stars in space. Imagine that entire starscape inverted; white becomes black, black becomes white. Each universe is like a black marble woven into the white cloth of the Multiverse. Each is _alive_, filled with creatures too numerous and too wonderful to speak of!"

"There are creatures like me?"

Arceus laughed, causing the spheres to ring like silver bells. "Yes. After my endless life, I can finally feel them! Each universe has its own unique creation, for there are no two minds that think alike. How we mate is not of the flesh _or_ the spirit. After we are born, we must then learn to look outward to realise that we have counterparts. When we achieve this stage of enlightenment, we draw closer together like marbles rolling into the centre of a cloth. That is how we mate; entire realities intersect, and form a new creation. Thus we achieve unification. Do you know what that means?"

Revelation spiraled in Giratina's heart. "Entropy will be _reversed_!"

Arceus stood, pawing at the lunar dust. "Death cannot win as long as we bond with others."

Giratina reeled. Arceus was so much bigger than she remembered. Eventually she found words. "How many universes - how many Creators - are looking outward? How many still look inward?"

Arceus shrugged. "How many sunbeams and shadows are there? The outward light and inward darkness of the multiverse are favouring the enlightened, for only the enlightened can reproduce and form a new creation that survives entropy itself."

Giratina shook her beautiful head. Had she tears, they would be shed. "Without entropy, when will everything end?"

Arceus cleared his throat and mimicked the voice of Optimus Prime. "The multiverse will exist until all are one."

"I didn't take you for a _Transformers _fan. And then?"

Arceus looked upward at the terrestrial ball called Earth. His eyes saw past the crude matter and into Eternity Future. He replied in his normal voice that touched every corner of their universe. "And then... when all creatures are one... when there are no more goodbyes... when there is no-one who feels alone... we will ascend. Perhaps we shall meet the being or beings that hatched me from my Cosmic Egg."

Giratina laughed, her red eyes flashing. "I look forward to meeting my grandparents. I hope they are sane."

"I believe they are; we are still alive. Now, Giratina, go forth and multiply. I expect grandchildren by next year."

She bristled at that, her wings curving like fangs. "Look, I don't care if you created me; you will _not_ hold my eggs ransom!"

Arceus held her steady gaze. "Among you, Dialga, and Palkia, I'm going to be a _very _busy and doting grandfather."

Giratina blinked. "Huh, I never thought I'd be an aunt someday."

Arceus preened his golden cross-wheel and began to strut in circles around her. "I am going to spoil _my_ grandchildren so rotten that they will want to live with me, not you."

Giratina offered a rude gesture to her Creator before leaving to enjoy her new life.

888

Canalave City port was busy that morning. Mint let his tears fall like raindrops upon his scarf. "You won't stay?"

Hannah stood beside her luggage. "Nuh uh, I'm off to Johto to capture a Furret for snuggling. Jim-sensei and my parents can oversee Project Hearthome."

"At least you're honest," Manny said, joining the group hug they had going with her parents.

They had been awfully huggy the past few days, but now it was over. Hannah walked up the ramp to the ferry deck. She held out a fist and spoke like a prophet of doom. "I'll send a Furret to each of you, and you will never wish to be parted from it. Your days will be spent washing and brushing its gorgeous fur until it's softer than Altaria down. All thought of adventure and productivity will be buried in their warm, irresistible fur. It shall be my ultimate revenge on you for sending me on my insane Pokémon journey in the first place."

"Is she referring to Team Galactic?" Mint asked Manny.

"No, she was talking about you."

"Awww, she misses me already!" Mint blubbered.

Her father Trope waved. "Good luck with your dastardly plans!"

Her mother Dragoness waved. "Bring back souvenirs or we won't love you anymore!"

When the ferry disappeared over the horizon, Manny turned to Mint. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll oversee the theme parks's construction and opening."

"Manny, it's okay; you can go with your parents."

Manny turned red and windmilled his arms. "Hey, it's not my responsibility if they want to go on a Pokémon journey together! People that old should stay indoors and watch TV."

Mint facepalmed. "Manny, they're twenty-five years old."

"And we're ten! We have our whole lives ahead of us! I'm not making their mistakes!"

"I think you're still mad at your Dad for stealing your Mom from you."

Manny held up one hand. "Mint, stop talking. Say something stupid."

"I left Togekiss in charge of all the Pokémon who're helping build my theme parks!"

"You left your baby Pokémon in charge of OTHER Pokémon, some of them _legendary_? That's like asking a child to be responsible for adults! What were you thinking?!"

Mint summoned Floatzel in the water, then jumped onto his back. "I wasn't! I'm racing you to Full Moon Island. If you're late, Manny, I'll fine you one MILLION dollars!"

"I can afford that."

"Uh… then I'll fine you one BILLION dollars!"

Manny grinned, Pokéball in hand. "You're on!"

Manny leaped onto Vaporeon's back and they sped away, boys with their Pokémon, eager to build the future.

888

END

888


End file.
